The Ultimate Guide to Remote Teams
Many companies around these days are constructing a remote team overseas. This type of work is growing really among companies everywhere. Therefore, everyone is looking around for the perfect guide to managing remote teams. Fortunately, there are steps to follow to help improve the commitment and efficiency of remote workers.
In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about remote workers. If your company is looking to expand into other countries, this is probably the best solution. The truth is, there are challenges with remote supervision. But, with this guide to managing remote teams, you will be all set.
- What is a Remote Team?
- How to Manage a Remote Team?
- How can managers support remote workers?
- What are the challenges in managing a Remote Team?
- Why a Remote Team is suitable for Middle Eastern businesses?
- How can EOR Middle East help you?
1. What is a Remote Team?
A remote team is a group of skilled people committed to achieving a common goal. Furthermore, it consists of professionals sharing certain responsibilities, looking to fulfill objectives. While working from a remote environment.
To embrace this new way of work, companies have to follow a guide to managing remote teams. Because there are several tips and research that they can benefit from. In this way, businesses need to know that the digitalization of their company is required. Since you need documents to be accessible to everyone.
Usually, these freelancers are located all around the world. But there are cases where they are all inside the same country. Due to many circumstances, this type of job is trending in the Middle East. Today, an important part of the region’s workforce consists of remote teams.
Despite tendencies, some companies are still doubtful about having workers in different locations. Working without a guide to managing remote teams is practically impossible. Managers need to have extensive knowledge before hiring remote workers. And also, they may need help when onboarding new hires for different positions.
Having a remote team can help your company expand. Subsequently, you can look to grow into any country, such as Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, or Kuwait. As corporations move to virtual and remote working environments, people are curious about how this new way of work may become the norm.
2. How to manage a Remote Team?
As a manager, you need to have a clear concept of what is expected from you. Providing a structured understanding of what is required within your company is the first step towards success. That is why following a guide to managing remote teams can guarantee that you will deliver expectations for your employees.
Handling a remote team can be very grueling. Nonetheless, there are steps that managers can follow to make this process an easier one.
2.1 Establish constant check-ins and overviews
Managers need to find a way to stay in touch with their workers. In this way, programming daily meetings seem like a good option. The desired outcome for these constant check-ins is:
- Establish some expectations for productivity
- Generate an environment of familiarity within the company
- Create equal performance metrics for every member
- Unite workers around the same goal
- Report their progress frequently
You will need to work hard to offer a virtual environment where everyone can feel comfortable. If you do not maintain a good communication process with your remote team they may feel forgotten. As a result, productivity and focus within your staff will decrease significantly. Constant check-ins build confidence.
2.2 Build rules and structures
It is pretty easy to disengage when workers are in different places. Therefore, productivity depends on a well-set structure within the business. In any company, there needs to be a schedule for meetings, so everyone can see what other people are doing. Therefore, employees can locate where they fit within projects.
Managing a remote team requires setting strong expectations. Even when there are individual responsibilities according to their role, the whole team needs rules. With the help of specific guidelines, they will always be on the same page. Following established directions lead to understanding how the company works.
2.3 Employ workers that manage themselves
Hiring is the first phase of managing a remote team. When a team member is not suitable for the company managing can become harder. For this reason, you need to employ the right kind of people.
Usually, when looking for workers, the typical practices do not work. Traditional curriculums become useless. In its place, you need to figure out what traits are suitable for your company.
Find a way to allow your prospects to show you what their qualities are. Valuable characteristics in a remote worker are:
- Positive attitude
- Self-motivation
- Team player
- Communicative
- Reliable
- Open to learning
A technique to evaluate the skills of your future employees can be a task for them to complete. Of course, this assignment needs to be located within their area of work. Tailoring a hiring process can be difficult. But, at EOR Middle East we offer HR management services to help you find the right people for your company.
2.4 Keep solid team connections
Maintaining strong bonds with your team is an important aspect of remote working. Connecting with people on a personal level can create an understanding of their different situations.
When working from afar, there are not many opportunities to talk outside of the workplace. But, that does not mean that you cannot make small talk with your employees. Some activities can be done and discussed online. Having in mind that you should not overstep some common boundaries.
You can always schedule a monthly get-together to discuss different topics through a video call. Therefore, creating connections that can allow you to understand them on a deeper level. While these types of actions may seem artificial, it is proved that virtual events promote a sense of belonging.
3. How can managers support remote workers?
Making remote workers feel good about their work promotes a healthy working environment. A happy team means happy customers. Consequently, supporting your staff leads to things running smoothly. It can be challenging to keep track of everyone’s well-being in a big team. But, it is certainly not impossible.
Making sure that people within the company, including you, have a good work-life balance it is crucial. Therefore, you must be on top of the following:
- Recognize stress
- Understand their struggles
- Be aware of their concerns
- Keep in check with their anxieties
For example, if one of your remote workers is visibly struggling with anything work-related, but not communicating it. You must ask them how they are doing or if they need any help. After getting involved, you need to follow up with this situation. Always listen to their concerns.
Studies demonstrate that, during critical situations, workers tend to look to their supervisors for indications about how to react. So, if you show vulnerability or stress in these situations it will have a domino effect on employees. Subsequently, you need to acknowledge the stressful circumstance while assuring confidence in your team.
Another way to support your remote workers is by acquiring knowledge. Following this guide to managing remote teams can help you understand more about your future workers. With our help and your support, employees can feel safe taking up challenges. While having a sense of purpose and focus.
4. What are the challenges in managing a Remote Team?
First, you need to understand some aspects that can make remote work particularly puzzling. Challenges inherent in managing a remote team include:
4.1 Shortage of information
Sometimes, remote employees are astonished by the amount of time and energy that takes to locate information from their coworkers. Likewise, obtaining answers to simple queries can become a waste of precious time when working from afar. This lack of mutual understanding among remote teams can lead to difficult situations.
4.2 Social separation
Feeling lonely is a common complaint about remote jobs. Working from afar leave employees missing the casual interactions inside an office. Over a lengthier period, isolation can cause remote teams to feel that they do not belong to their organizations, leading them to quit. Especially if there is not good communication between all workers.
4.3 Absence of in-person supervision
The lack of face-to-face interaction can be an object of concern. Most managers worry that employees will not work as efficiently outside of a typical office setting. On the other hand, remote workers struggle with a shortage of support and communication from supervisors. Thus, employees may feel that their managers are not helpful.
4.4 Disruptions at a home environment
Employers usually struggle while managing their home and work lives in the same settings. For this reason, managers need to understand the difficulties of balancing both.
Supervisors have to guarantee that their workers have a private space in their houses to finish their duties. Encouraging employees to find their ideal place at home where they can feel comfortable enough. While also giving themselves time to spend with their families or on their own.
5. Why a Remote Team is suitable for Middle Eastern businesses?
Following this guide to managing a remote team can lead you to discover many gems. One of them is the suitability that adopting remote working in your Middle Eastern company represents. Businesses interested in getting a remote team in Israel or another country can find professionals looking to work with them.
The benefits of managing a remote team located in the Middle East are:
5.1 Saving money on office space
When increasing remote working, your company will be able to downsize. Subsequently, you can opt to keep a small office or not have physical headquarters at all.
5.2 The use of remote contractors for unusual jobs
Once you have a remote system in place, you will have the option of hiring remote contractors. Meaning that whenever you have an odd design task, you do not have to spend money on a full-time employee. With the right team, adding workers to your staff will not be a problem.
5.3 Working with cloud-based technology
Cloud-based systems make digital collaborations, file-sharing, video conferences, and more possible. You only have to make sure that your employees have strong internet access, a Wi-Fi connection, and a computer. Thanks to the advance of technology, you can support your remote team with no interruptions.
5.4 Building a healthier work-life balance
Researches assure that thanks to remote work, people can have a healthier work-life balance. Boosting your workers to put their personal lives at the same level as their work lives can make them more productive. Subsequently, allowing your company to function at a higher level.
6. How can EOR Middle East help you?
If you are ready to start hiring employees in the Middle East and other countries, we are here for you. EOR Middle East offers you an extensive range of services meant to help you expand into our supported countries in the Middle East.
Furthermore, we guarantee you that payroll requirements for workers in certain countries are met. Subsequently, your employees will get paid on time and in their currency. At EOR Middle East, we will help keep under total compliance thanks to our HR and legal specialists.
Would you like to contact EOR Middle East? You can call us at +97143316688 or send an e-mail to [email protected], and you will talk to one of our representatives that will gladly answer all of your questions.
