Solve the Top Problems of Running a Remote Team

Running a remote team might be something that many managers have found themselves doing through no choice of their own. But working remotely can deliver a variety of benefits, even when it's not necessary to have people working remotely. Remote working can come with its challenges, though, which need to be managed if you want to achieve success. There are some common difficulties that remote teams can experience, including problems with technology and communication. Understanding how to navigate these issues makes it easier to manage a remote team. Here are some of the top issues you might experience with remote working and how to solve them.

Get IT Issues Resolved Quickly

The one thing that remote working relies on most is solid IT systems. With everyone working from different locations, you need to bring everyone together and ensure they have the tools and resources that they need to get their work done. If IT problems are preventing that, you could lose a lot of time and money. A managed services provider such as athensmicro.com can help you to stay on top of everything. IT problems are solved quickly when you have a team of experts on hand. You won't have to leave your employees sitting around, twiddling their thumbs.

Smooth Over Communication Difficulties

You might think that communication becomes more difficult with a remote team. While it's true that some things can be tricky if you can't speak to people in person, there are plenty of tools and communication channels that will help you to keep your team together. Some communication methods in the office can easily be translated to remote methods of communication, although others might require more adjustment. Consider cutting back on the number of meetings you hold. Give your team the tools they need to communicate with each other about their work so everyone can stay in the loop.

Track Productivity

How can you make sure that your team is working when they're working from home or other remote locations? You want to know that they're being productive and meeting their targets, but checking in on them can be difficult. There are various ways to track productivity and make sure that everyone is getting their work done. These include tools that log people's working hours and what they're working on so that you can be certain that they're working hard at all times.

Make Scheduling Easier

Scheduling your team isn't necessarily difficult when all of your team members are in the same time zone, but it does become more complicated when you have a global team. Just setting up a meeting that everyone can attend might be difficult when it's morning for some people and evening for others. Using tools to help with scheduling can make it easier, allowing everyone to have input on their availability and the best times for them to attend meetings or work together with others.

Running a remote team can be challenging, but remote working also offers cost savings and flexibility to businesses.