Managing Teams When Working from Home

Remote working is rapidly increasing in both popularity and prevalence. This was happening already due to the agility that remote working offers businesses across all sectors, then the coronavirus pandemic suddenly made WFH arrangements the new normal for many types of businesses.

Though commercial premises are reopening or never closed in the first place, many business owners have taken this as an opportunity to reassess their remote working policy.

Changing practices

If you're planning on introducing or extending the ability for your employees to work from home, you absolutely must have hosted desktops in place.

The system gives each staff member access to their usual desktop experience, with the difference being that they can log on using any device from anywhere in the world.

As a result, staff can do everything from home that they can do in their usual workplace, without any limitations, delays, missing software or inaccessible files.

The question is, how do you manage teams effectively when you're all working remotely? Read on to discover our top tips for keeping productivity, accountability and communication as strong as ever whilst overseeing the business from the comfort of your own home.

Start with your workspace

As a leader, you need a workspace that suits all of your needs.

We're talking about a home office that allows you to focus without distractions and has everything you require to carry out your role as you normally would.

This means the right kind of computer and a strong internet connection, as well as a phone, printer, stationery, storage areas and any other items that are normally available to you.

Getting this setup correct from the very start will enable you to work smoothly and lead your teams to full effect without any obstacles or errors.

Treat it like a workplace

Just because you're working from home doesn't mean that standards should be allowed to slip.

Make sure to dress how you normally would, communicate in the same way and always keep on top of your workflow.

Losing track of your duties and falling behind will cause you to become flustered and also set a bad example for your staff.

Organise yourself

In order to manage your teams well, you first need to be able to manage your own time.

Use apps and software such as Asana, Slack and Monday.com for project management, carry on writing physical to-do lists if that's what you're used to, and change your system if you ever find yourself losing control over your workflow.

Use video software

Microsoft Teams is an excellent way to stay in touch with your staff.

Rather than phoning them, a video call means that you can make eye contact and see each other's body language, both of which are central to clear communication.

By scheduling regular video meetings and one-to-ones, you also prevent your staff from becoming reclusive and help them to express their ideas and concerns more clearly.

Be there for your staff

It's not just about meetings and project updates, as a key part of strong leadership is being open to discussing issues and having friendly chinwags with your team members.

This social aspect does wonders for employee engagement, staff morale and your wider company culture, so make sure to have rich conversations rather than just exchanges of information.

Delegate where required

Working from home can make it very easy to forget about delegation.

This is because you're no longer surrounded by other people, so asking for help or passing on a responsibility becomes less fluidic.

However, business owners and managers who work remotely need to remember that delegation is central to smooth output, as taking ownership over absolutely everything will overwhelm you whilst denying your staff the opportunity to shine.

Enjoy your day

Remote working offers you so many ways to make your workspace your own.

If you love having the window open even on a chilly day, go for it. If music helps you to focus, pop your favourite album on and don't be afraid to set it on continuous repeat.

Decorate your home office however suits you best and design it to be comfortable, inspiring and pleasant to work in.

You'll immediately find that working from home can be extremely motivational and rewarding, which will rub off on your staff every time you talk to them.

Switch to hosted desktops

We help business owners to offer flexible working arrangements through the highest quality of hosted desktops. To get started, give us a call on 01482 751133 or email hello@gocloud.co.uk.