One of the main concerns businesses face today is if they will be able to manage their teams while working from home.
Let us start by saying that even the biggest companies in the world are now working from home due to the COVID-19 contingency.
So, more than a trend, it has become a necessity if businesses want to continue on the market.
Therefore, is fair to say that it is perfectly manageable to supervise a team, even when each team member is working remotely.
On the other hand, it is also fair to say that your company will have to face new challenges in collaboration, motivation, and productivity.
Luckily there are many resources that you can trust, and that will guarantee the functioning of your business, keep reading to know them.
- Lean on technology
Without technology, it will be impossible to work remotely. Now, thanks to its many benefits we can do almost anything.
For instance, collaboration and access to information were two challenges that today are completely covered.
There are many tools that you can use to enable collaboration for your company: from planning to communication, sharing files, and tracking metrics.
Your only concern should be finding the right tools that meet your company’s needs; and then you’ll be perfectly capable to manage your team while working from home.
- Keep timing and organization at its finest
A usual mistake many companies and managers do is assuming that because the team is working from home, they have the availability to have meetings and do last-minute tasks.
Remember that your employees are a huge part of your company. You depend on them for many things. They are the ones having the closest interactions with your customers.
Just because they are working from home doesn’t mean that they are stuck to their computers all day long.
If you need to have a meeting or have a new task to assign, make sure to respect the timing and the process to do it.
No one likes to receive a notification for a meeting 5 minutes earlier.
- Run meetings when it’s necessary
Does anyone like meetings? Regarding your answer, we must say that meetings are important, but that doesn’t mean that you need to have them daily.
We understand the flexibility implied in remote work. We also understand that thanks to technology we count on many channels to communicate: emails, video calls, phone calls, messaging apps, and more.
Moreover, not everything can be said via email. That’s why you need to keep with the meetings on a regular basis.
We suggest these 2 options:
- Have a meeting at the start of every month to set a tentative roadmap and plan the goals for every week during this.
- At the end of the week, have a longer meeting where everyone covers what they did, whether they’re still on track, and talk about if they need anything from the rest of the team.
- Focus on the results
Like we previously said. Just because your team is working remotely it doesn’t mean that they have more time to do things.
It works the same for trying to manage every aspect of what they do. We are not saying you should disappear and not know anything of what they do; but keeping constant communication to let them know you’re there is more than enough.
- Build a remote work culture
Even when working from home is the new normal, still many people are not familiar at all with it.
We can see both employees and managers struggling to manage and understand how this whole remote dynamic works.
That’s why is so important that your company has an established culture for remote work. This affects how your employees and customers perceive you.
When a company lives up to its core values, its culture will transform employees into advocates. Enrich their well-being, and ensure the company retains its top talent.
- Collect feedback regularly and make adjustments
Set the expectation of regular feedback. Ask for it often, reflect on your efforts, listen to your employees, and make adjustments as needed. This culture of constructive feedback will help you; and make your employees feel like they’re safe to speak their minds and be heard.
Did you know that Freshworks offers you different software that will provide great value to your business?
From Freshdesk a customer support software that will empower your support team to work together and resolve customer issues faster, to Freshales a CRM that will keep your sales team in the know about prospects and close deals faster; and Freshchat a messaging software that will engage with website visitors and product users for sales and customer success.
Your employees will love the Feshworks products. Because they are ready to use, and you will be able to delight your customers from wherever you are.
Want more information about Freshworks products? Contact us. Our professional team is ready to help you find the right solution that will change your company for good.
