S1. How To: Use Software To Run a Remote Team

Successful remote teams are the product of strong technology. The globalization of digital and remote communities have pulled all kinds of specialists to seek challenges beyond the confines of a physical office. Freelancers float in their own time, and others commit to offshore client projects. As a result, businesses and stakeholders have seen vast benefits in employee productivity. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2016, 22% of employees did some or all of their work remotely.

Studies have shown that remote teams are often more focused and productive for the following reasons:

• Remote workers understand the pressure from their peers and managers to prove the value of their work when it’s not instantly visible. Remote teams are therefore more engaged in project management.

• Virtual leaders make use of software available to them to stay connected, such as with instant messaging platforms, task tracking, and conferencing. They become well-versed in communication methods.

• Remote workers make good use of their time, knowing that they need to remove distractions to focus on productivity when working from home.

Today, there are infinite ways to leverage technology for a mobilized distributed workforce. Our Sales Director Iann Yanes, says: “As long as companies have the right software in place, managing remote teams is a walk in the park. Still, businesses need good support during recruitment and the right advice for which tools to use so that both them and their employees can reap the benefits of remote structures.”

1. Use Alerts to Establish Work Priority

You don’t need to wait for end-users to create tickets – most software will do this with automation, alerting you when different tasks are completed. This is critical in ensuring work orders are being carried out correctly and according to schedule, as well as helping to produce priority lists for different team members.

2. Collaborate Communication Method

You don’t necessarily have to have a messaging feature embedded in your remote software, but when a team member is notified on Slack, they should have a way to easily see an issue or item. Add-ons such as Google Drive and Jira are invaluable apps for our own virtual teams, letting us immediately view an issue without having to navigate between applications or constantly check up what employees are working on.

3. Set up Project Management and Utilize it to the Max

Smaller teams are often tempted to handle everything by email. This is a precarious strategy. Project Management systems help to systemize virtual teams by organizing documents and communication into projects, letting you locate them easily at a later point, as well as setting yourself up for team growth with an efficient structure in place.

4. Consider a Custom Solution

If your current software doesn’t incorporate everything we’ve listed so far, it might be time to consider a custom solution. There’s no doubt about it: remote teams are tricky to manage, especially if you’re just starting to develop your workforce. If you can’t hone in on these important features efficiently enough with ready-made software, a custom remote software solution might be more viable. A credible software company will be able to incorporate all your required functionalities in a custom solution to manage your remote team in an efficient and practical way.

If you’re ready to start considering a custom solution to manage your remote team or you’re interested in a consultation, feel free to contact us on our form here.