Even before the effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic were being felt in the business world, more and more businesses were seeing the benefit of allowing their staff the opportunity to work remotely. One of the reasons for this shift in attitude is due to more research being done about remote work and its benefits, with studies indicating that employees, for the most part, are more productive when they can work from home. However, remote working does present some unique challenges for businesses, especially those where projects involve large groups of people that need to collaborate.

Fortunately for businesses, most of the challenges that stem from remote working can be overcome with the right tools and mindset. This article looks at five tips that businesses can follow to streamline their processes and take some of the stress out of working on big projects remotely.

Ensure You Have the Right Resources

When it comes to remote working, communication can be likened to the glue that holds a project together. Without the right tools for communication, a project may be doomed from the start. That is why having the right resources available to remote teams is imperative if a business is to succeed.

Luckily for businesses, and thanks to the global pandemic forcing many companies to adapt to a digital world, they have access to more tools that focus on communication and collaboration than ever before. Communication tools such as Slack or Microsoft (News - Alert) teams are great resources that allow teams to stay connected and up-to-date on projects. In addition to these kinds of tools, many teams choose to use a time blocking app to manage schedules and keep their team on track with their daily tasks.

There are so many different applications and programs available that are designed to help businesses streamline their remote working processes, so doing some research into what is available and finding the right software for your business’s needs is essential.

Don’t Slack on Daily Check-Ins with the Team

Having the right tools to communicate with a remote team is the first step in making sure a project is a success. However, a team with all the resources in the world who can’t communicate will still ultimately fail in their task.

When it comes to remote working, regular communication is essential for the success of the project, so managers should always aim to schedule at least one daily check-in that all team members need to attend. These check-ins should be separate from meetings that focus purely on daily issues and what goals have been met, and rather focus on bringing the team together and creating cohesion. 

Set Realistic Goals and Manage Expectations

One of the biggest challenges associated with remote working is how to manage the expectations of managers and team members. For a project to be successful, managers need to set clear and realistic goals for the team, but they also manage their expectations for individual tasks. This means that managers need to define the full scope of the project, set reasonable but flexible deadlines, and break down all the tasks associated with each step of the project so that the entire team understands what needs to be done in order for the project to be successful. Managers also need to communicate with the team how they will measure the success of each task so that team members have clear goals to focus on.

Focus on the Big Picture

When it comes to remote working, one of the key things that team managers should focus on is emphasizing outcomes rather than activity. Managers need to understand that, when it comes to remote working, managing all aspects of how work is done is impossible. This means that, rather than endlessly worrying about how many hours a person has worked on a specific day, managers should instead focus on the outcomes of their work to judge a person or team’s success.

Making the shift to a remote working environment can be tough, especially for big teams who are used to working in an office environment. Fortunately, thanks to technology, remote working is easier than it has ever been and, with the right tools and management style, even the biggest projects can be completed successfully.