From Harish Jagtani’s Desk 

 

The Covid-19 outbreak changed our lives in many ways. Forever! People started wearing masks, maintaining distance, shopping online and working remotely, among others. Covid-19 cases have gone down considerably now, but many of the practices continue to be a part of our lives. The most prominent was the fast adoption of the remote work mode. So, operating from anywhere, any time will be the future of the work environment. Reports show how the remote work culture will grow in the future. A recent study says more than 68% people around the world work remotely at least one day a week. And studies forecast that about 50% of employees will be working fully remotely by 2024.

Most companies are moving away from physical, brick-and-mortar offices as the remote work pattern continues to create a momentum. Teams that are embracing remote work are winning by broadening their talent pool and offering smarter work arrangements. But remote work requires a different set of guiding principles, tools for collaboration and systems of accountability. Here are some important tips to effectively manage your remote workforce…

Single Vision for the Whole Team

In a remote environment, it is very important for leaders to explain the bigger picture to the team. It may seem simple to appoint an individual and hand out assignments. This will work in the short term. But, in the long-term, employees would want to know more about their assignments. To work together effectively as a team, an organization has to excel at clarifying the big picture. From top managers to entry-level employees—everyone should share one mission, language and value set to work together as a team.

Context is Important in Communication

Communication is the lifeline of remote work. It is not just about sending text messages and making calls. Effective communication requires proper context. Discussing work can be difficult when the critical details are not clear in your mind. Every time you try to interact outside the context of a project, it needs detailed explanation time and again. So, it is better to have one system that can be a single source of information which lets conversations take place in the context of the job and you don’t have to add the context repeatedly. It is where your team needs it.

Tracking Work and Productivity

In a physical workplace, managers keep tabs on their employees—whether they are performing well, or facing any issues—during short conversations over coffee. But it is not so simple when your employees work from home. Managers need to have periodic performance checks and regular status checks with their remote workers and, at the same time, remember not overbear and micro-manage employees, which may lead to frustration.

Make the Most of Meetings

For remote work to succeed, meetings must be regularized. Make sure that meetings have a purpose and help the team work together. You should have purpose before setting up meetings and provide an agenda with bullets, expected time-frame and goals for the meeting. You can have quick, daily meetings to cover what you did yesterday and what you’re working on today. These will help everyone be in sync, prevent confusion, and help you track goals and progress. Projects take time and, as a manager, you have to make sure that progress is done properly. Besides, you should also have face-to-face interactions—sometimes.

Final Word

Your team can prosper in remote work mode. There won’t be wasteful commutes, but it will give your people flexibility to work from anywhere and anytime and open up a bigger talent pool. Adopting these principles will make sure your remote team is in sync and the most important work gets done in the best possible way.