The outbreak of Covid-19 has changed the way offices function. According to a recent study, around 88 percent of organizations globally moved to a remote working model, either voluntarily or mandatorily. It is expected that the numbers will increase in the coming years.
Remote working culture comes with many benefits. The workers have less or no commute, saving both their time and money. All the employees can work flexibly, thereby achieving the so-called work-life balance. Working from home also increases their productivity as they get more time to relax when not concentrating on other tasks.
However, there are many challenges too. Maintaining team spirit, ensuring good collaboration between staff, looking for technical solutions to help the team do their work are some challenges that leaders face.
Here are some efficient ways to overcome these challenges and build a strong remote team:
Define Goals
As stated, many remote workers tend to have higher productivity levels. Without the factors like daily commute, the distraction of office life and other employees get to work more efficiently.
As a team leader, you must communicate what is expected from your team members. It prompts them to work harder and achieve all the goals you have set for them. You can use an employee schedule template to define their hours and tasks.
Encourage Team Building
Remote work may sometimes lead to feelings of isolation. The team members often face a communication gap that affects the project at hand. The loss of team feeling and camaraderie also makes the project mundane.
You can overcome this challenge for the whole team by introducing virtual team-building ideas. It is easy. Use call technology or even video conferencing in your business communication and bring all your team members together for the activities such as board games, virtual quizzes, and other interactive sessions. It will create a positive virtual environment and give all the team members a chance to communicate with each other.
Promote Cross-Team Sharing
One of the hardest things about the remote work culture is getting to know people who are not your immediate team. Finding ways to overcome this problem can be a powerful way to make all the team members feel unified and help employees find more people they connect well with.
An easy way to do this is by altering how you perform your weekly meetings. Many teams have weekly meetings to check in on the team members and what they have been working on. Instead of conducting regular team meetings, you can mix groups and encourage team members to bond. Cross-team sharing also increases collaboration between the team members.
Use Tools and Technology
Remote meetings often give rise to virtual barriers between the team members. However, not anymore. The advancements in technology have made it possible to overcome this challenge. You can use tools and technology to overcome this challenge.
One of the quickest ways to strengthen the team is through a video conference. It helps all your team members counter the sense of anonymity. The use of technology can also help you in other ways during a meeting. For instance, you can use apps and allow your team members to vote to determine if the team has reached a consensus. With the use of tools and technology, you increase the involvement and engagement of all your team members.
Takeaway
Forming a team for any project is one thing and making it function effectively and cohesively is another. It takes a lot of effort to make people with different temperaments, backgrounds, and personalities work together. It may be hard, but the above-listed tips might help.
