We’re old hands at remote working – here are my top tips to help manage your remote team

Working from home has always been the norm for us in Positive Momentum. Over the last 15 years, we have developed the operational support we provide for our partners and clients based on a Support Team who flexibly work from home in various parts of the UK. Our Support Team work strongly together despite seeing each other only through the screen for most of the year. I believe my team members are happier, more engaged and much more productive compared to working in an office.

Here are my top tips for managing a team remotely to ensure they stay engaged and focused, amidst all the distractions of everyday life.

1.  Focus on the outcomes rather than the activity - trust is important allowing your team members to get on and do their job. It’s also about being flexible - for our Support Team it means working around family commitments - each EA works flexibly and as a Support Team Manager it is appreciating this and that they will get the job done and at a high standard.
2. Just because they aren’t working in the same office, does not mean they are not a team. A way for the team to communicate together is key so they can stay united - we have a Support Team channel on Microsoft Teams in order to stay well connected day to day, ask questions, share ideas, share funny memes and best practices. We have a monthly webinar as our team meeting to go through training/ hot topics.
3.  Check-in with them individually regularly – working from home can be isolating and team members can feel lonely at times. Stay in touch regularly with different forms of communication – video call/phone call/Teams/Team message to ensure you are connecting with each member. It’s important to watch your team for signs if they are under stress/concerns so you can support them accordingly. 
4. Ensure they have the resources they need. Your team need to have a great IT set-up and a safe working environment at home. Regularly check in with them with bi-annual home visits to ensure their set up is working well and is safe. A team Dropbox folder and access to shared documents, means they have access to documents they need easily.
5. Manage expectations - help your team to manage the expectations of their managers prioritising work expected of them, but also as a manager of remote workers manage Your expectations - be clear on all tasks/purpose and deadlines.
6. Have systems in place to protect your workers - for example, if they go to work meetings from home – ensure they check-in upon arrival and when they return home. Each member of our Support Team has a buddy within the Support Team, it’s their primary holiday cover but also their first line of support within the team day-to-day.
7. Make sure your team doesn’t work too much! It’s very easy when working from home to forget to take breaks or start early and finish late. Be mindful of this with your team members - encourage your team to take regular breaks and get fresh air. Be aware of what time your team members are emailing and if they are burning the candle at both ends, make sure you chat with them to understand why and where you can help reduce their workload.

Finally, it’s important to have a bit of downtime as a team so a couple of times a year, we organise a social activity whether that be a spa day or afternoon tea!