Managing a project team is difficult enough, but when you have to contend with your team members being geographically dispersed, it becomes even more difficult. Not only do you have all of the challenges that you typically face during a project, for example, scope creep, not having the best remote work tools and managing client expectations, but you also have a unique set of obstacles to overcome resulting from people not always being in the same workplace. Fully remote or hybrid working is becoming increasingly common. So much so that in fact that 90% of companies plan to offer hybrid work options in the future. Here are some top tips for managing a hybrid or remote project team.
Choose strong team members
If you choose strong team members to begin with, you have already won half the battle. If your employees are unmotivated and disengaged, you are going to experience difficulties every step of the way. Of course, the way you act will impact the efficiency and productivity of a hybrid or remote project team , but you don’t have a magic wand, and if the incorrect team members are chosen from the outset, you have a real challenge on your hands. You need individuals that are motivated by work and proactive in nature. You cannot babysit team members who are not physically present in the same workplace so you need to avoid employees that constantly require guidance from their co-workers or on-site managers. In the long run, the right team members will also ensure that the customers are happy and that the customer satisfaction score, as well as the customer success KPIs are high. Remember, resources include the people on your team, the talent acquisition software you use, the tools you have, access to posting on high visible remote job boards like Indeed and Adzuna and the budget that you have to work with. You can also consider hiring from such platforms as Upwork vs Fiverr to find relevant candidates for your team.
Set up a communication plan
The main reason why managing a hybrid or remote workforce is so difficult is because communication is more challenging when it isn’t done face-to-face. There are unseen barriers when communicating over Zoom or Teams, but there might also be language barriers and time differences. The best way to combat all of this is to set up a communication plan. Adding QR codes to your plan, such as those generated by Uniqode’s QR Code Generator, can provide quick access to communication tools, schedules, and resources, making it easier for team members to stay informed and connected. This plan should cover the following:
- What the team must communicate
- How they will communicate it
- Who requires the information
- When they need the information
- What happens if there is a breakdown in communication
By outlining this for everyone to see, all team members will know his or her responsibilities. They will know when they need to communicate something to you or the rest of the team, and they will know how to go about doing so. Choosing the right method of communication is critical when managing people in a remote or hybrid workplace. It is not necessary to hold a phone conversation every time something needs to be communicated. For small updates, for example, instant messenger is ideal. However, make sure you schedule a video conference once a week. This makes all team members accountable, and it ensures everyone is on the right track. You can also use the best iPhone calendar apps to sync both your meetings as well as important deadlines to your teams phones.
Small videos
Video chats
Phone calls
Instant messenger
- When meetings are required
- What the purpose of the meeting will be
- How the meeting will be held (e.g. video conference or chat)
- Who will control the meeting
- Who will publish the outcome of the meeting
You also need to have strong corporate guidelines for each hybrid or remote project team regarding phone calls, as well as sending and replying to email messages. Establish stringent procedures regarding communication, i.e., set the standards in terms of video, email, and phone etiquette. Additionally, ensure that employees are aware of the best practices for using web browsers and understand concepts of cyber asset attack surface management, which can be crucial in safeguarding sensitive information. Encourage them to examine the Brave vs Firefox comparison or learn the differences between other popular browsers to make sure that they make informed decisions when it comes to protecting company data and personal information.
Finally, not only do you need to think about communication throughout the project, but also if you do not communicate a thorough project overview and timeline from the offset, you will set your project up for failure. So, make sure you establish your objectives, visions, expectations, and timeline. This will make certain that everyone in your remote project team is on the same page. When it comes to communication channels, it’s also important to establish clear guidelines for email communication, including the use of an SPF generator to prevent email spoofing and protect your domain’s reputation.
The timeline or schedule will typically be broken down into a number of individual due dates for different phases of the project. This will ensure that team members are motivated to achieving their goals while also guaranteeing that they are not overwhelmed by the idea of one big project with one overriding end goal. By breaking the project down into a series of smaller activities, you make it more manageable, and you help people to schedule their work better.
Deal with different time zones effectively
Of course, one of the most difficult things about managing a remote project team is dealing with the time difference, which can impact scheduling hybrid team meetings and coordinating collaboration effectively.. If members of your team are situated on the other side of the world, you may find yourself in a position where office hours do not overlap whatsoever. This can be exceptionally challenging.
To overcome a scenario like this, you need to make sure that you vary the team that needs to meet after hours. This means that no individual or group is consistently suffering by meeting late in the evening or early in the morning. If there is a time period throughout the day when your working hours overlap, you should definitely use this to schedule meetings. You should also reiterate the importance of all team members being available during this time slot.
It is also a good idea to set up a dashboard time zone clock so that you can easily find out information regarding different time zones. You can have different clocks on the dashboard of your computer displaying the time for where your workers are based. With the details on your dashboard, you won’t waste time calling outside of their working hours or planning meetings when they are unavailable. Lastly, consider using Office 365 calendar to manage and coordinate your team’s schedules, streamline meeting planning to ensure efficient communication.
Encourage team members to get to know each other
Establish roles and responsibilities
Hold team members accountable