4 Tips for Engaging Your Remote Team
Leading a team is hard work, but we usually have the guidance of leaders whose purpose is to inspire, motivate, and help us decide how to move forward. In the case of remote work, applying your leadership skills to keep your team engaged may look a bit different.
How is it done? Work on applying the skills you already have to remote tactics and build your team’s culture for long term productivity. Without a doubt, communication is what remote work is centred on, however, it’s also important to avoid micromanaging your team. In the tips below, we’ll dive more into what it looks like to successfully engage your team while remote.
To keep your remote team engaged, it helps them to remember they are part of a team. What is the mission of your team? What are your team's values? In an office setting, your workplace would have a defined culture. You must work to continue defining that culture online.
When you have meetings, make sure everyone is on the same page. As you discuss the week’s goals, work to tie them back into the overall mission of the company so that everyone is on the same page and as the same goals fresh in their minds.
As the leader for your team, it’s important everyone knows they can to talk to you one on one if they need or wish to. It’s also important to introduce something in each meeting that isn’t completely based on the work. Avoid burning people out by being redundant or not allowing for conversations about what’s happening in world to take place. This means more communication work as the leader for a remote team, but putting that time in will do wonders to keep your team actively engaged.
While you want to be keeping in regular communication with your team, one of the advantages of remote work is some added freedom to their days. As long as everyone is keeping to their deadlines, showing up for meetings, and otherwise doing what they say they will, it’s best not to micromanage your team. The stress from this will wear on them and you. As a leader remember to delegate, check-in, and be available when someone needs help or encouragement.
To keep your team engaged and thinking about what’s best for the company, keep them learning new things. As their skills develop so will their interest in their jobs. You can sign up for video courses or webinars for online education for your team. Being out of the office does not mean that the importance of professional development evaporates.
