How can Managers keep remote teams tight and productive

Ready or not, you may suddenly find yourself trying to supervise a team that is working from home. You can’t see them, so how can you manage them?

Our team of coaches have put together a list of tips to help you manage not only results, but also morale.

MANAGING RESULTS

Manage results, not activity.
Set up the day with a Virtual Team Meeting. Do results check and debrief at the end of the day. Keep it within 15 – 30 minutes.
If you don’t already have a digital workflow management app or platform, try Trello, Slack, Asana or Podio. Use Kanban charts or create your own team scoreboards. More details on this (and many other useful tips) by Entrepreneur and Business Coach Raymond Chou in his article : Implementing Work From Home
Manage Non-Performers like how you normally would:
Have a conversation to identify whether the challenge is Attitude, Skill or Adaptability.
You may need to micro manage by breaking daily milestones down into 2-5-10-15 minute tasks.

MANAGING MORALE

Be available to the team at all times.
Listen with openness and empathy so that you can tune in to what they need. Now, more than ever, your people are looking to you to provide assurance, direction and encouragement.
Slot in 1:1 chats to manage wellness and morale, and provide mentoring or coaching when necessary
Look for small wins and celebrate them with the team.
Be creative in Acknowledging your team. Sending gifts, grab food, song dedications, achievement badges.
Create a sense of belonging. Come together once a week as a team and just chill remotely. Turn on the video feed and have a virtual ‘water cooler’ moment and chat about non-work stuff.
Or turn it on at lunchtimes and have virtual lunch together!

We hope this helps. Stay safe, stay strong. This too shall pass.

Credit to Emi, Haryati, Illyaz, Jeremy, Jeffrey, Julia, Omar, Razlina, Shu-Tze.

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