6 Steps to Setting Up a Remote Team

Modern business is uniquely set up to benefit from remote teams in 2018 and beyond. But, many companies fail to utilise this and often fail when they try to set such a system up. Largely this is a result of distrust, bad hiring practices and

With that in mind, here are the six things you need to do in order to set up an effective, efficient, and hard working remote team.

1 - Set Out a Purpose

If your remote team doesn’t have a set purpose then it can be a disaster in the making. Giving the team a fully fledged purpose means that both you and they understand what is expected of them from day one; the end goal should be very clear.  Purpose can also help everything set into motion and start your team on an upward trajectory.

Defining a purpose, however, isn’t always easy. In most cases, you should be able to define a purpose based on your business and the goals you want to achieve. So, if that’s more work output, better sales or technological development this can be channelled into your remote team. Whether you’re a tech startup or a chartered surveyors team, setting up the right goals is vital. This, in turn, will determine the candidates that you both interview and eventually hire.

2 - Create Leadership

Without a solid, definable, leader a remote team can easily fall apart. There needs to be someone who is in charge and setting goals, workloads and ensuring everyone is doing their part. If this doesn’t happen you could find your team falling behind and missing out on their goals without any clear leadership.

In the beginning, this role will probably be filled by you and eventually even if you do pass the job over it needs to be (preferably) an in-house role. That way, at least, the power and leadership of the team still primarily resides within your office. Make sure that your leadership team has clear power and that your team abides by it, otherwise you may find a small mutiny on your hands.

If some employees show themselves to be troublesome in the face of leadership then it is often best to cut them out before they can start real trouble and cause further issues for your remote team.

3 - Put a Process in Place

So long as your remote team has a definable process in place it should be able to function, without one… yes, it just might fall apart.

Your process should also include a dedicated evaluation process. This can help determine where your team is at and how far they still have to go, ultimately. Grading the quality of work can also help to give your team goals and an understanding of their weekly, monthly and even yearly performance. Such a system then gives them the perfect platform to work towards a better performance.

4 - Make Sure You Set Up Meetings

A weekly catch up is vital in order to ensure that your team is consistently on the same page. Without meetings there can easily be a breakdown in communications, with some team members potentially even feeling left out or alienated if you do not have this open forum for discussion. Misunderstandings, confusion and other issues can be easily solved by simply having these meetings and allowing for that dialogue to happen in the first place.

Communication is key, so make sure you set up the appropriate methods for your team to actually manage it. Meetings, group chats and even face to face video chatting should all be a standard practice for your remote team.

5 - Recruit the Right Talent

The fact is that the right people can really make or break your remote team. When success or failure rests on their shoulders, it is important to make sure that your hiring process is up to the task. Sometimes this means moving your focus away from the person’s resume and understanding their behaviour instead.

Also, don’t be afraid to recruit talent from a number of different countries. So long as they can speak a common language to their teammates and get along well with them then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t hire them. Being able to accept both social and cultural nuances must be a standard requirement for the function of your team.

Remember, the fact is that not everyone is up to working from home. It can be a lonely and ultimately unrewarding experience for some. So, you need to make sure that this is definitely what they want beforehand. Otherwise, you may find yourself replacing them sooner rather than later.

6 - Make Sure the Technology is There

One thing that you will need to invest in to make sure that a remote team is completely successful is having the right technology in place. Without certain programs, devices, etc. a communication breakdown is a very real issue that could crop up. This is where technology should be able to come into play and save the day.

Every member of your remote team needs a working computer or laptop, an internet connection and the ability to keep up with group chats via Skype, Slack or whatever communication system you wish to use. This may mean that you provide technology for certain team members or make this a requirement of being hired (depending on the funds you have at your disposal).

All in all, the steps to setup a remote team are not that difficult. But, it is vitally important to do it right. Otherwise, you will find that a communication breakdown and the overall failure of your remote team is an inevitable outcome.