Managing your team remotely may seem daunting at first, but COVID-19 has made this the only option for many of us. Here at Baobab Partners, most of our managers have worked remotely for years, and we have an abundance of experience in how to do this successfully.
We want to share with you what we’ve learned about how to manage your team effectively from home (or bunker, wherever you find yourself these days). Here are our top 5 tips:
Communicate, communicate, communicate.
If you remember only one tip from this article, let it be this: There is no substitute for dialogue. Particularly in times of change and high-stress, scheduling regular check-in meetings with your team and clients is essential. These meetings keep everyone on track and up-to-date, and they allow you to receive feedback, listen to concerns, and resolve any issues proactively. Another great feature for internal communications is a messaging system, such as Salesforce Chatter or Slack. This allows fast communication among team members and is especially effective for those who need to interact continuously throughout the day.
Lead by example.
If you have a team of people who are not used to working from home, then this is particularly important. Making sure you are diligent about remaining professional while working from home will show your team what is expected of them as well. Ensure that you are punctual, appropriately dressed for conference calls, and working in a clear, tidy, quiet environment. This not only boosts productivity but also maintains a professional image for your clients.
Be prepared to adapt.
These are very uncertain times; there is no precedent or guidance for what happens when large portions of the world are forced to work from home. For some, demand is extremely high and you may find you require additional staff to cope. For others, business may be very slow and you may have to look into ways to cut costs and increase business. For all, however, change is inevitable. As a manager, you are likely going to find that changes must be made in different areas in order to adapt. From business processes to company policy, try to keep your employees informed about changes. Often, they will see issues before you do and may be able to suggest solutions. This will not only help you maintain good rapport with your team but will also minimise delays in delivering to clients.
Your CRM is your new best friend.
Your company CRM is fundamental to effective operation of your team while they are at home. It allows you to monitor activity and progress in real time. Both you and your team members must remain diligent about logging all activity in your CRM. This allows you to view the tasks and timelines for each team member, preventing unnecessary overlap, and keeps all relevant team members informed about the status of any given account, project, or task.
Enjoy increased productivity and morale.
Studies about people working from home have been largely positive, with results showing that the overall productivity and morale are higher among those who work from home rather than in an office. At this time, many people are spending extra time with their loved ones (both human and animal). This is a silver lining during a very challenging time and should be acknowledged and encouraged. In the long term, offering employees the opportunity to work from home provides many benefits for both employer and employee. It can result in an increased staff retention rate and thus a more experienced and effective workforce, and reduce overhead while increasing productivity.
We know that times are uncertain, and even frightening, for many of us. We don't know how long this is going to last, or if we're still going to have our jobs by the end of it. There are few sources of leadership that project reliability and competence.
We're going to get through this, but we're going to have to be responsible for ourselves. This is why it's more important than ever to have a plan for yourself and stick to (or develop) good habits.
Baobab Partners has been a primarily remote firm since day 1, and we have extensive experience setting up systems that empower companies to work effectively without being in an office. If you're struggling with questions of process or technology, or just how to handle the transition to an all-virtual workforce, please reach out to me directly at 919-724-9260. I'm happy to give 30 minutes of time at no cost to anyone who might need help with these things.
Baobab Partners is a Salesforce.com certified consulting and development partner based in New York City. We are a team of competent, diverse, dynamic, and qualified professionals with experience across various business areas, including software and product development, design, testing, system maintenance, project management, and staffing options. We develop scalable and simplified solutions based on your organisational goals.
