We are already in 2020 and living in the age of IoT and Artificial Intelligence. Thanks to advanced technology, higher and accessible bandwidth, and continuously changing business needs, remote working is now easier and convenient than ever before. You don’t really need to physically on-site to complete the assigned tasks. This phenomenal shift has not only added more profit to the company’s pocket but enhanced the productivity, efficiency, and work-life balance of the employees also.

Entrepreneurs, nowadays, run their business anywhere from a one-room apartment or a coffee shop and hire the talent without any location barrier, from around the world. In the last few years, there are several companies like Zapier, GitLab, and Automattic, that are growing rapidly having no physical office, and working 100% remotely. On the other extreme, companies including Reddit, Yahoo!, and IBM, have completely banned remote working.

So, what does it take to setting up a remote team seamlessly and leading it effortlessly? What is that secret ingredient that virtual companies know and tech-giants like IBM is missing?

Before knowing the answer, let’s list out the requirements of a traditional workplace:

1.    Vision and Mission
2.    Talented Employees
3.    Strong Communication Network
4.    Monitoring System to ensure employees are meeting goals
5.    Identifying operational issues
6.    Incentives to boost the morale and loyalty of an employee

This list of requirements is common for both, a remote team dispersed globally and a team working in a brick-and-mortar office sitting side-by-side. But implementing work from anywhere policy requires strategic planning and good managerial and management skills.

Use the following effective hacks and tips to lead a remote team successfully:

Convey clear mission and vision of the company
Though the company’s vision and mission are written on the website but conveying them clearly to the employees at times align them to achieve a mutual goal. The mission and vision of the company become the push factor for the employees who are not physically meeting. 

Ultimately, the success of the company hinges on the ability to create an organizational culture that the employees will be happy to be a part of. So, fostering this culture is of utmost importance.

Hire the talented and trustworthy
With the whole world to chose from, picking up a blend of hard skills with soft skills is still not easy. Hiring a person with good technical skills and ethical values is crucial. Test their competencies with online skill assessment tools. 

Trust is key. Remote teams don’t work if you can’t trust the person on the other end. Continuously thinking and worrying about what someone is doing may become tough and shatter the motive behind remote working. Again, trust is the key!

Communication is Crucial
When it comes to effectively manage a remotely working team, communication is crucial. Encourage your team members to keep in touch and stay aligned with all the project updates. 

While hiring, make sure to hire someone who has a flair in writing and speaking a common language; because in a remote situation, everything is shared either in written communication or through a video conference. 

Effective Tools
With the advancement of technology, distance has become vague. There is an ample number of tools out there in the market that can help you manage your remote teams. You may be using some of them to communicate or enhance the productivity of your team even today. The list includes and not limited to the following:
1.    Skype
2.    Google Online Suite
3.    Zapier
4.    GitHub
5.    Hootsuite

You can read a whole blogpost on this topic here. (link of another blogpost)

Build strong bonds
Creating and maintaining bonds among virtual team members is not an impossible task. People tend to be more loyal to the person they like but they hardly like a person they have never met. So, nurturing social ties and letting them more engaged with each other make them flexible and comfortable with each other. 

Managing a virtual team requires a substantial amount of strategic planning. Keep the employees aligned, engaged, motivated and accountable to meet your company goals. Happy remote working!