In a modern work setting, you are most likely to work with geographically dispersed teams. The chances of working with remote teams further increase as you opt to work with an offshore web development company. The fact being you get to work at competitive rates and with flexible service models and work formats, these options work well with your ranging development needs. Furthermore, when you have to only pay for the services you are getting and not for any other establishment and operational costs, you find it a smart move to work within a remote setting.
Well, while doing this, the most important thing you need to know is how to manage remote employees so that you can effectively and purposefully drive it off to realize the best of results.
1. Follow the specifics of the working process with remote employees
The code of conduct to be employed to manage remote employees is different to the one that is implemented and exercised with the regular workflows. To make it work in a streamlined manner you need to have a complete control over the communication resources and the working time zones. Further, to be able to utilize the optimum value from your resources you have to make them work in a close-knitted and unified workflow. So, you can bring together the workforce representing different time zones and facilities and make them work cohesively in an allied environment – where they can dynamically share resources and seamlessly communicate with each other in real-time – to explore best of benefits from an integrated work setting.
2. Establish an effective communication with remote employees
When you are trying to connect with satellite resources who are providing their services working remotely, you need to keep your approach to communication well-defined and sorted. You should plan to use tools and techniques that allow you to establish a more flexible and transparent connectivity with all the resources while allowing you to ensure effective communication across the channel. Try using instant messaging programs like Skype and Slack to appoint face-to-face interactions/conferences with remote employees. Also, try to engage them in personal communication so that you can reach them more smoothly and frequently without having to follow any formal communication protocols. For this, you can use chat apps like Viber, WhatsApp, WeChat, Line Chat, and Telegram.
3. Keep your virtual communication thoroughly planned and tracked
Well, the way you approach your communication should be as simple as it can. But, it should be all- validated and outlined throughout with enough arrangements to plan and track it in a collaborative manner. You can use project management applications like Jira, YouTrack and Lighthouse to keep the information rendered, structured and stored properly. This will allow you to keep a track of resources, events, schedules, information and communication references and combine and use them to help them gain vital perspective of the virtual communication taking place between the distantly located workforce.
4. Use emotions and stress on details to connect better
It is important to exhibit human emotions and perceptions while you are a part of a virtual communication. To make sure all the details and facets of information spread across effectively, you need to ensure that there are no lags and glitches in your communication while you are interacting through a connecting medium or a communication tool. To make sure your word is audible and interpretable enough, make sure you check your device/tool for accuracy and quality before you start communicating. Further, start your conversation introducing yourself, your agenda of communication and the minutes of the meeting, as and when required. Try to be modulative with your voice and be a careful and responsible interlocutor. While you talk don’t forget to be your natural self and display emotions, hold eye contact and use gestures appropriately, same as you would do otherwise.
Final thoughts
These methods and tools are tried and applied by many organizations to establish and conduct effective communication with remote workforce. You can further augment this approach to intensify and optimize your communication design to manage remote employees better by adding more tools, resources and protocols to virtual communication. Just pick them up and put them across with a communication plan that suits your situation the best!
