Do Not Make These 6 Mistakes When Working with Remote Teams (Guest blog)

We all work remotely one way or another, so it seemed like a perfect time to think about how we can collaborate better. Working from various places worldwide has allowed us to attract more talent than if we were strictly limited to hiring individuals in a single geographic location.

However, as practical as remote work is, some things hinder its progress. Here are mistakes that you shouldn't make when working with remote teams.

Do Not Make These 6 Mistakes When Working with Remote Teams

1.    Forget to remind your team that they can work from anywhere

Let your staff know they can work anywhere they please or can be productive. Forgetting to remind your team can be detrimental to progress in remote work. It's essential to set clear expectations for each team member so that no one feels like they have too much or too little work to do.

2.    Make assumptions

This can be detrimental because they don't allow for flexibility. Remember that your employees aren't all on the same schedule and may not be available during regular business hours. This means that you need to be flexible when scheduling meetings and expect them to be available at times other than those you're used to when you are in the office. 

Also, who knows? They may even have encountered some emergencies along the way such as a personal injury. You should have a balance of discipline and consideration for people’s unavailability. There is no harm with reaching out to ask about it. 

3.    Not having regular meetings with your team

Not holding meetings can make it difficult for everyone to stay connected and execute their tasks. Holding regular meetings helps keep everyone on track and encourages better communication between team members.

4.    Micromanage

One of the challenges to remote work is dealing with micromanagers. These people tend to have trouble delegating tasks and responsibilities. They don't trust that others will do their jobs well or make good decisions independently. They also often think they know how to do everyone else's job better than the person who does it full time.

5.    Hold communication preferences against others

If you prefer face-to-face communication, that's fine, but don't expect everyone else to feel the same way. Many prefer email or messaging apps like Slack because they allow them to write down their thoughts before responding, taking their time to think about what to say.

Others may not even have time to sit down for an hour-long meeting every day. So, rather than holding these communication preferences against others, try to find ways for everyone on your team to succeed.

6.    Shy away from praise and recognition

If you want people to feel connected and motivated at work, it's important to recognize them for their hard work and contributions, no matter where they live. Even though it might be harder to do that now, try to praise your employees regularly in person or over video calls to feel like they're part of something bigger than themselves.

Continue to Adapt Changes in Remote Working

We've listed these tips to understand that business people are human and imperfect by default. They are prone to mistakes and make errors. You won't have to worry about slow progress as an offline or online business owner. Individuals will likely give it their all regardless because most humans care about a job well done.

These tips are reminders that while everyone is doing their best working in this new environment, it's still important to stay alert, be aware of whether there is a need for change, and keep adapting as needed.

Author: Trevor Michael is a Customer Contact Industry Specialist of Select VoiceCom, an inbound call center with telemarketing and IT support services. He has operated successfully within this niche industry for over ten years across Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia. He enjoys writing, golf, and going to social events.