Managing Remotely
140 companies answer 6 questions
Managing a remote or distributed team successfully requires good support, planning, and communication. Whether deciding if and how to get the team to meet in person or defining the line between vacation and flexible work, the management of a remote team has differences from managing traditional on-site teams. In our Managing Remotely section we ask top remote companies how they keep their teams running smoothly from thousands of miles away.
Do you have remote communication protocols for your remote workers?
We do have set parameters that we ask people to follow. The more numbers you put around what people should be doing the better. Clear…
We do have guidelines, and they apply for everyone, including leadership. For example, if something isn’t urgent, we strongly encourage emails in place of chat—especially…
As with an office based role, remote workers are required to be available during the working day. Generally most managers will establish the norms, as…
Do you organize remote team retreats?
At our team meetings, we do organize loads of stuff, which are fun and supports team building. Most of the time we are away for…
Logistics are a pain, but the outcome is always worth it. Just allow plenty of time for planning and be frank with everyone that it…
Yes we do, and they are awesome. My tip would be to keep the work content to a minimum. A brief session on how the…
Do your remote team members meet in person?
The full team meets together at least twice a year. There are meetups by various teams based on need and geography throughout the year.
Yes, our teams meet 1-2 times a year as a team and work together, somewhere in the world. Then, we have the entire company get…
Yes, absolutely. Face to face communication is vital so we have teams break off and have quarterly offsites. The Engineering team is going to Punta…
How do you measure the productivity of remote workers?
Productivity is purely based on results.
We monitor both hours worked and hours billed to clients. Virtual assistants describe the work they do each day, which allows us to assess productivity.
When looking at developers the code quality is essential. We focus on output, not on working hours.
What elements are key to successful working relationships with remote teams?
Weekly calls are important, as is setting and communicating realistic and exciting goals.
Trust is absolutely essential. We are a team of colleagues and hire some of the best talent in the world. If you don’t trust the…
Clear tasks, responsibilities, and deliverables.
What is the hardest part about managing a remote workforce?
The most difficult part is helping your team stay motivated and feel part of a team when they have never met. In the office, a…
The hardest thing is just making sure to stay in touch with everyone and make sure everyone knows that they are part of the team…
It’s harder to have a general “pulse” of your team. You can’t see their body language and moods as much on a day-to-day basis, so…
How do you keep remote employees engaged and feeling part of the bigger picture?
We make our communication better by having daily calls and hangouts between team members. We get the entire team together at the GitLab summit once…
Each team that is working for a client takes responsibility for all the issues: financial stuff, agreements, customer relations, etc. Thanks to our policy, people…
Provide strategy document annually to keep the team focused. We also use this document to assist team members in shaping quarterly goals which show team…
What is your BYOD policy for remote workers?
Everyone is free to get their devices from the company, but as far as I know everyone’s just using their own machine.
This varies based on roles. For our customer consultants, they need to provide their own high speed Internet service, headset, and a personal computer for…
Our team is free to use whatever tools work for them! In fact, since we integrate fully into our clients’ businesses, we encourage our team…
What is your time off policy for remote workers?
Remote working is great because you have the luxury of not using vacation days while traveling if you don’t want to. Our policy is that…
We have a minimum vacation policy at Buffer where we ask employees to take at least 15 days off every year, in addition to whichever…
20+ vacation days, with unlimited sick days. We also have generous parental leave and benefits.
What were your biggest fears in managing remote workers?
I think my biggest fears are when we lose touch with someone. Every once in a while, someone will just “disappear” – they don’t answer…
I had no real fears of managing remote workers, but I always am cautious to ensure I communicate regularly and that my virtual door is…
The biggest fear is “culture cracks” as our CEO calls it. Since we do have such a significant amount of remote team members, it is…