Managing teams remotely

Teams working remotely must have the support they need to thrive. Here are five things you can do that will make a big difference. Share them with your organisation, and register for the free Clear Lessons video library to access more hints and tips to make working life easier. 

1. Set clear goals and expectations
Make sure everyone knows what’s required of them, so they know what they need to do to be successful. A simple document or spreadsheet will keep everyone on track. Make your team aware of larger organisational goals too. This information will help people understand how their everyday tasks fit into a bigger picture. Your team’s goals should be SMART ones and also align with your organisation’s vision.

2. Respect boundaries
Speak to your team and ask them how they would like to work. This is the first step in understanding what the working day should look like for your people. Let them set their own working patterns and then respect these times. Ensure that everyone shares and uses their calendars to make working patterns clear. Burnout amongst teams will still happen if working hours are not respected. 

3. Encourage people to take regular breaks and not work during time off
Keeping a healthy work-life balance is even more important when people are in their home environments. It can be easy to do an extra hour in the evening if you’re working at your kitchen table, and not even notice the time. Create a culture where your staff know they can fully switch off at the end of the day. Try not to commend extra work, completed outside of someone’s normal schedule, as ‘going above and beyond’.

4. Help your staff create safe workspaces
Everyone needs a functional, safe and healthy working environment. This isn’t a ‘nice to do you’ – employers are legally required to ensure people have the right set up to work safely. FInd out more information from the Health and Safety Executive. 

5. Encourage your people to get talking
Misunderstandings can arise when you just rely on email or messaging apps. Lead by example and use video calling instead. Using software like Microsoft Teams gives staff easy access and avoids them using their personal telephone numbers. Some things to remember when using video calling:

• Limit the amount of time on video calls – an hour max, with lots of breaks in between 
• Support people to become comfortable and proficient using this type of software 
• Be aware of and cater for different abilities and any disabilities when using this type of technology

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