Remote teams are becoming the standard. It is safe to say that remote work will expand in the future. The internet is on fire with everyone providing tips for successful remote team leading, but what about the people who make the team?
Obviously, team management will fall short if team members are unaccustomed or uninterested in working remotely. When choosing the members, make certain to make this your starting point.
Basically, there are two factors to consider:
- Employee personality
- Employee occupation
Not every job can be performed remotely, but there are many that are not only perfectly performed remotely, but they are better performed remotely. The huge issue people using modern technologies are facing is that employers force them to perform their jobs at the office, even when they are less productive that way.
Among the many occupations that are better off remote are all kinds of writing and editing jobs, data entry jobs, SEO jobs, design and programming jobs, etc.
But, let start with personalities first.
Employee Personality
It is not only old-school managers who find it difficult to switch to remote work. Many employees who are used to office work find it difficult to perform their jobs from home. The reasons are many, but the most prominent ones are lack of organization and proper project management.
The most important skills you should look for in your remote employees personality-wise are, as listed below.
- Leaders Who Will Engage Their Team
For team members to be engaged, the manager should practice what they preach first. Remote work doesn’t suffer traditional managers — rather, it relies on leadership personalities and the startup approach.
If you’re managing an international team, engagement becomes even more important since people won’t get the chance to meet (probably).
Look for people who are enthusiastic about their work and who are tech-savvy for your remote team.
Most importantly, remember that good leaders are drivers of engagement, so keep improving your skills.
- Mentors and Educators
In order for any team to perform to the best of their abilities, it is crucial that learning is taking place — consistently. Take your time devising custom eLearning practices for best results keeping employee personalities and preferences in mind.
- Consistent Communicators
Volumes have been written about online communication and so far everyone has concluded that the right choice of tools is essential. However, different people connect with colleagues in different ways, so it is important to adjust your approach as needed.
Of course, it is only to be expected that many introverts prefer remote work, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will fail at online communication. On the contrary! Practice shows that online communication comes easier to such people, notably because they are in their element (at home or their favorite spot), so they are more relaxed.
Note that anyone may be shy at first when meeting new colleagues online. Encourage people to speak their minds and set up anonymous feedback to know what should be improved in this matter.
Make asynchronous communication (communication that doesn’t require the recipient’s immediate attention) a standard in your team.
Employee Occupation
As mentioned above, there are many occupations that are perfectly performed remotely.
Generally speaking, some occupations are a must in every team, so we will consider only them hereby.
- SEO and Link-Building Machines
With pretty much all aspects of business turning remote, every team needs SEO specialists and link builders. There’s no need to expand on why SEO is crucial in today’s technical world, but keep in mind that not everyone with some experience will do.
Look for innovative people capable of critical thinking who can keep long-term goals in mind. It is essential that you communicate the company vision clearly, as SEO is a long-term process that needs to be polished regularly. Simply put, you’ll need to check your SEO performance all the time.
- Content Writers
There wouldn’t be much work for SEO specialists if there was no content, so your team should also include content writers. Now, this topic is somewhat controversial because it has become a trend for large businesses to hire cheap workforce from undeveloped countries.
While there might be nothing wrong with cost-saving, people asking for lower rates usually aren’t that good at their job (and in some cases, it is not their job — they’re just trying to make ends meet).
That’s why it is better to look for quality content writers, as it will prove to be cheaper in the long run. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with endless editing; you’ll both overwhelm the editors and make the whole process frightfully long.
- Marketers
Skilled marketers are invaluable and absolutely essential in every remote team. The reason is quite simple: even if you have the finest SEO strategy and publish high-quality, relevant content, if your page doesn’t have a large audience, your business operations will suffer.
Nowadays, marketing has mostly turned online, too. Email marketing, ad campaigns and social media advertising (in short — cross-promotions) are an absolute must. Marketing strategies and content calendars are getting more complicated by the minute, so make certain to look for the finest of the finest marketers with the right attitude.
Conclusion
Basically, for a remote team to perform smoothly at all times, you’ll need to choose the right tools, communicate company vision clearly, make sure every employee is aligned with company goals, and listen to everyone’s feedback.
Building a highly functional team takes time, so keep adjusting your approach until everyone is aligned.