Before the pandemic, remote work was rare, but today, it is accepted as the new norm due to the benefits it offers for businesses and employees. According to a recent survey, more than 70% of companies plan to adopt remote working. While remote work is globally accepted, there are some challenges that business leaders face while handling a remote team.

However, once you have the right technology and practices in place, managing a remote workforce becomes easier. Since remote work comes with unique dynamics, it’s equally important to tailor leadership skills to match the work environment. Leaders should account for collaboration barriers and provide access to the right technology to streamline the team’s work. 

Developing specific skills to address the challenges of remote work makes managing a team easier and increases productivity. In this article, we will examine the importance of remote leadership and examine some key attributes and strategies for effectively leading teams from a distance.

Why is Remote Leadership Important to Organizations?

Remote leadership focuses on leading and managing individuals or teams remotely, which happens through virtual communication. A remote leader uses various communication platforms like video conferencing tools, emails and instant messaging platforms to connect with team members in various geographical locations.

If remote teams are not managed well, there is a risk of conflict and misunderstanding, which may affect your business. Communication challenges, such as a lack of technology or difficulties building trust with team members, can be some of the reasons for conflicts.

In such scenarios, a remote workforce may be less accountable than an in-house team if you don’t have the right tools and technologies in place. For example, organizing a video chat for team members in different time zones can be challenging to find a meeting time that works for all. So business leaders should understand these small differences with remote work and develop a new set of skills to improve the productivity of team members

Strategies to Improve Remote Leadership Abilities

Many leaders have struggled to manage remote teams due to a lack of experience. Traditional management practices can be quite different from remote work, making it difficult for leaders to manage remote teams. However, actionable strategies can help you develop your remote leadership skills. These techniques will help you enhance your remote leadership skills for greater team satisfaction and productivity.

• Address Isolation Issue

Isolation is a common challenge in managing remote teams. Unlike traditional workplaces, remote teams often lack face-to-face interactions. Communication is often the backbone of any work mode, whether hybrid or remote. Clear communication can be a big challenge in remote work, so it is essential to have your team aligned and understand your goals.

Besides, a lack of in-person interaction can make it harder to build trust, which can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts. Make sure that your employees don’t find it difficult to communicate through video conferencing tools. Train them on the software your company will be using, and don’t forget to provide continuous feedback over email and messages.

• Overcome the Challenges of Different Time Zones

Virtual leadership often means managing teams across different regions and time zones. According to research by Buffer’s State of Remote Work, 74% of the employees surveyed worked in different time zones. Leaders must be flexible and accommodating to the business’s changing needs. They must understand their team locations and address challenges such as accommodating different meeting hours to keep communication efficient across time zones.

Employees should be allowed to communicate their preferred working hours for the given day. You should also adopt asynchronous communication for your teams, especially those with employees in different time zones.

• Leverage Technology

When you have a remote workplace, your employees should ideally never face technical challenges. When you are looking to start a remote working policy for your company, it is important to set up the right technology. Remote leaders must be skilled in using these technologies and have troubleshooting in place to keep communications smooth and to ensure successful team collaboration.

Leaders should employ the appropriate technology and communication platforms, such as video conferencing, instant messaging, and collaboration tools, to engage a remote workforce. Project management software keeps team members on the same page and helps track progress. It is equally important that everyone on a virtual team should get training in using digital tools and platforms.

• Measure productivity differently

As a remote leader, it is important to value quality over quantity and prioritize useful work. For instance, if one employee is working on many small tasks and the other is working on a complex task, it is important to differentiate between the two by taking quality into account. In such a scenario, it is not ideal to count the number of hours and compare the two employees. 

It is equally important to understand the impact of the work on your business. For instance, small tasks done by the first employee can be part of a daily routine, while the second employee might have added more value to your business. So it is important to set clear goals and expectations and value good quality work.

• Invest in Learning and Development

Continuous learning and development not only help your employees hone their technical skills but also help them improve much-needed communication skills. Leaders should prioritize continuous education for both themselves and their employees. This could involve attending webinars or learning through different courses.

It is also important to have regular skill-based assessments of employees to keep up with the ever-evolving digital needs. You can also encourage your team members to share their learning experiences with other colleagues through communication platforms, which will also improve team collaboration.

Best Practices to Lead Remote Teams

Managing a team of remote employees is not easy because you will be on the phone for most of the working hours. You will have to be in touch with each of your team members and coordinate with other departments as well. Hence, you will require some best practices to manage your remote teams and get the best results.

• Establish clear expectations and be transparent when it comes to guidelines and regulations regarding project delivery or task completion.
• Apart from emails, implement another communication method through which you can get timely updates regarding the project and check the progress of the project deliverables yourself. 
• Brief your team by holding 15-20 minutes of meeting daily in the morning so the team members know what’s on the agenda for the day. 
• Remote opportunities can affect the employee’s mental health, which can affect productivity as well. So, focus on your team members’ mental health by holding a monthly meeting where you can gather feedback from them and then discuss whether something is bothering them or if there is excessive workload pressure. 
• Celebrate both small and big wins because that’s the only way you can engage and motivate your team. It will inspire other members to perform better. 

Also, since everything is happening on digital platforms for remote work opportunities, try to document everything. It is not enough to have workflows and processes planned out in your head, and neither explaining them to the team members through meetings is sufficient. You will be required to document everything, so if someone forgets anything, they can go through the documentation. 

Also, host online socializing activities where the team members can connect with one another and discuss anything except work-related things. 

Final Words,

It is important for business leaders to improve their leadership skills to adopt the new normal. As the dynamics change, remote and hybrid teams need specific leadership skills to succeed. Communication is key, and setting clear expectations is important, similar to a traditional work environment. It is equally important to set clear performance metrics to foster innovation and improve productivity.

Also, consider hiring employees who are skilled and have experience working in remote environments. You can also outsource your hiring to a reliable company that has a talented pool of professionals. Hyqoo helps you with your hiring needs with the help of its AI platform. Our platform will help you find high-quality, vetted professionals quickly and efficiently without any hassle. Share your requirements today and find a suitable talent for the remote work position in your company!