Distributed team management

What is distributed team management?

Distributed team management refers to managing teams that work remotely from various locations, time zones, or countries. It has become an essential element in workforce management as more businesses adopt a distributed model. For effective distributed team management, businesses need to focus on investing in tailored strategies and tools. Efficient communication and collaboration among physically dispersed teams are crucial. The goal of distributed team management is thus to ensure successful outcomes despite the distance.

How to manage distributed teams –strategies and best practices

Managing distributed teams requires a strategic approach that businesses need to develop with careful consideration of their business model, objectives, and available resources. Here are some strategies and best practices to help you:

• Select the Right Talent: Identify individuals who can excel in a remote work setup. Not all employees perform as well remotely as they do in an office setting. Consider your existing employees who are willing to switch to distributed team roles and conduct a trial period to assess their performance. Similarly, when hiring new talent, check if they have prior experience working remotely. This can be a valuable asset for your organization if you plan to manage a distributed team.

• Leverage Technology: Try to make the best use of modern workforce management and collaboration tools like Trello, Google Workspace, Zoho, Mewurk etc. to promote and streamline teamwork, proper resource allocation, performance management and efficiency.

• Trust the Autonomy of Your Distributed Team: While there has been a significant increase in businesses allowing remote work, some companies still have concerns about trusting their distributed team members. These companies may engage in micromanagement, affecting work quality and burdening employees with excessive workloads. Consider your distributed team as part of your team, provide them with autonomy to work independently, and trust them as long as they deliver results.

• Strike a Balance: It's always beneficial to have a mix of both remote teams and in-house teams for effective business operations. When grouping these teams, consider their preferences as well. Allow employees who prefer to come to the office to work from there, and let those who prefer remote work do so. This way, you can enjoy the best aspects of both teams and create a more dynamic work environment.

• Focus on Outcomes: When adapting to a distributed team model, the focus should always be on the outcome rather than how employees choose to work. In a traditional workforce model, employee grading is often based on attitude and office behaviour. However, in a remote work setup, these aspects are challenging to gauge and may not be as important. Businesses can still align employees with their vision, mission, and culture by engaging with them regularly through collaboration tools for regular communication and updates.

• Hold Regular Team Meetings: Even if your distributed teams are performing exceptionally well, keeping in touch with them regularly is crucial to creating a sense of belonging in them. Schedule virtual or in-person meetings at least once a week. These meetings can improve their alignment with the organizational goals, and nurture unity, and goal-oriented thinking.