Organizations today are embracing remote working trends and are employing top talents from various countries in their remote teams. With advancements in technology, where the data and assets have become available to everybody from everywhere, working from an office is turning out to be less well known.

However, when the point of working remotely comes up, it is quite normal for organizations to be doubtful about how to manage remote teams. One of the biggest challenges to be faced by them is how to virtually guide, support, and nurture their teams. The entire process involves seamless collaboration and communication between project teams based in different countries. For instance, at Ajackus our team members sitting in Bangalore, India co-ordinates with the other teams based in the USA.

Here are 7 steps that we at Ajackus follow to build successful remote teams.

Although every organization may have a different number of steps with respect to their requirements, these steps are the primary ones to start with. Let’s see what are those.

1. Build the right tech deck:

Technology assists the teams of Ajackus, no matter where they are working. We utilize various communication tools such as Slack/Teams to help our teams perform efficiently. Along with this, there are various work management tools such as Jira/Airtable that provide the convenience of handing tasks regarding distributions between projects. These tools help in tracking progress and observing lags too if any.

Ensuring a dependable, comfortable, and well-equipped infrastructure is the muse of seamless collaboration and powerful remote work. Hence, organizations should invest in creating their own tech deck which will help to bridge the physical gap. With the right equipment like voice/video conferencing, work-from-home platforms, and file-sharing software programs, organizations could create attractive and efficient work processes.

 2. Streamline hiring and onboarding process:

Most organizations go for skills and expertise when it comes to hiring. We at Ajackus believe that the candidates can learn skills as they go but what matters is the attitude. If they are motivated, they can do wonders for themselves as well as the organization.

While employing staff, organizations should make sure to search for candidates who are self-motivated and who share similar visions and values as your organization. In order to manage a remote hiring process, it is critical to set clear expectations from the start. Ensure everybody grasps organization objectives and gets a predictable onboarding process set up. As a part of onboarding, arrange a training session to cover KPIs, task expectations, and sets of responsibilities along with an introduction to team members.

 3. Reinforce flexible work schedules:

Having taken into consideration the different time zones that teams of Ajackus work in, we believe that the liberty to work at flexible times is one of the best ways to show respect and care for the team members. Expecting teams to work remotely within a fixed time is counterproductive.

A flexible work schedule is what attracts remote working to most of the employees. Ensuring a perfect work-life balance creates a level of autonomy for each member’s time. It has also proven to increase the overall productivity level.

4. Make collaboration simple:

Communication is the key to making collaboration simple. By setting up channels of communication and processes of starting a project, remote teams of Ajackus have improved the team performances. We make sure to keep everyone in the loop right from project updates to changes in company policies. We share announcements via various channels like e-mails, chat tools, and our town hall meetings.

Organizations with remote teams should focus on follow-ups to ensure smooth collaborations among teams and clients. The use of collaborative tools like Google Drive can ease the entire process and is less time-consuming.

5. Accommodate regular team meetings:

Usually, organizations build on face-to-face connections. In remote working, the human connection often seems missing however, this can be gained with regular virtual meetings. In order to overcome this challenge and make our remote teams stronger, we accommodate daily meetings within teams.  We arrange meetings between other team members as and when required.

This step is particularly significant for new recruits, as they will be able to connect names to faces and get to know their colleagues. They will later assist them with working together in a better manner.

6. Build company culture:

Ajackus implements an inclusive virtual work environment that gets the best out of every team member. We go the extra mile and extend our care to our team members via wellness benefits and much more. This defines our culture. Whenever people trust in a similar vision and values, they are set to take the extra mile.

Consider that culture is the personality of the organization. It leads to better morale of the employees along with increased productivity, greater engagement in the organizational activities, and induced more creativity.  

7. Arrange team events:

The question that we ask ourselves at Ajackus is how can we make our remote teams be a part of the whole organization? Including every team member in various activities and events, either virtually or in person. Keeping everyone in the connected loop gives a sense of belonging and inspires them to partake in meetings to generate new ideas effectively.

However, organizations should make sure they have a clear idea of the execution of each event. Remember that there is no small-talk by the water cooler, so clearly communicating the event’s agenda is a must.

A closing handout:

Indeed, managing remote teams can have various cultural and technological changes, and yet, it gives you an incredible competitive edge. It allows organizations to build strong teams with the most talented minds regardless of where they reside.

To know more on how to set up a culture of innovation click here.