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 expect our team to be available and responsive during business hours, but we don’t have any strict guidelines around response times. If a team…
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 don’t set specific norms for the sake of creating true flexibility. Once you start putting in rules like this, or even once you start…
Do you organize remote team retreats?
Here are some tips: 1) Retreats should be easily accessible (closer to the airport) 2) Consider having the whole team living under one roof through…
Our best teachers are invited to an all-expenses paid trip to Shanghai every year! This is the best way to allow the teachers to experience…
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?
As a whole company we have bi-weekly video calls every other week and we get together in-person 2x a year for all company meetings.
We organize team gatherings three times per year (when it’s safe to do so) where we all meet and work together, but also have fun…
We don’t require it, but we do have hubs of team members in New York and Florida, and try to get together and cowork as…
How do you measure the productivity of remote workers?
We use an agile development methodology that incorporates daily progress checks for the team. Also, if a developer’s velocity falls below a certain threshold, we…
Our front-line live answering employees (Customer Experience Associates) work within a carefully constructed framework. Regular QA evaluations, including listening back to recorded calls, help us…
We are experimenting with OKRs at Mokriya. This is a simple way to keep the team aligned and measure progress on a quarterly basis. By…
What elements are key to successful working relationships with remote teams?
Actually having one. A relationship doesn’t mean reading standups in a Slack channel. You have to put in the work to meet regularly with each…
Effective communication Understanding Accommodation
Communication is key. It gets tougher when factoring in different timezones, but it’s really important to make sure team members can join meetings and reach…
What is the hardest part about managing a remote workforce?
Accountability tracking. Time zones.
Making sure we build relationships offline as well as online.
One of the hardest things is making sure you have a good set of managers overseeing the remote employees, and making sure they are fully…
How do you keep remote employees engaged and feeling part of the bigger picture?
It’s really all about creating intentional communication to ensure everyone is “in the loop.” We also have a Director of Employee Happiness whose job it…
We are in constant communication with members of our team using online communication tools, and it’s very easy to work together and collaborate toward a…
Our leaders are continual learners in what good leadership truly is. Ultimately, we keep ourselves moored in our mission, the continual development of a warm…
What is your BYOD policy for remote workers?
Computers, monitors, peripherals, desks, chairs are provided by Automattic.
The only equipment needed to work remotely for Coalition Technologies is a reliable computer and Internet connection. The computer should have a webcam and audio for…
We’re mostly a BYOD type of company, but we provide devices for those who need it.
What is your time off policy for remote workers?
We give everybody 20 paid vacation days per year (they generate 1.66 vacation days per month worked) and the local country holidays wherever they happen…
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…
Unlimited. Take what you need – we don’t count your sick or vacation days.
What were your biggest fears in managing remote workers?
My biggest fears were around not being able to manage work output, and not having clarity into someone’s projects. For the first 6 months this…
Our biggest fear was that if we weren’t sitting right next to employees, it would be hard to ensure they are executing at the level…
We knew that shifting to remote would mean that much of the verbal communication would have to be replaced with documented process. In an ideal…
Sign Up for Our Weekly Fresh Jobs Newsletter
