Learn to Communicate Effectively with Your Remote Team

Launching a company without huge overhead is more possible than ever with the recent trend of hiring remote teams. But these teams still face the age-old problem of communication. Communication can be tough even in a close-knit office environment. But for employers of remote teams, this can be one of the toughest hurdles to overcome. Whether your team is scattered around the city, nation or world, communication is not only vital for the success of your company, but possible.

A good leader of remote teams takes age into account when choosing the method of communication. Be heard loud and clear by your team, and be available to them through their favorite modes of communication. Enforcing a single mode of communication could shut teams down before they ever reach out, and leave you and them in the dark. Younger age groups tend to prefer emails and video conferencing over phone calls. But the older generation often get lost in technological advances and often prefer phone calls more than anything. Good communication is dependent on actually being heard, and if you don’t learn to speak the language of your teams, silence will prevail.

Follow these 3 tips for enhancing your communication prowess with your remote teams, and see your company start to develop a common purpose.

1) Embrace technology

There are a host of methods and apps for remote communication that make thousands of miles seem irrelevant to the conversation. Email and Skype aren’t your only options anymore. If you’ve been hesitant to jump into the app world, it’s time to overcome your fears because technology and apps are doing wonders for remote communication. Group chats like Slack enable teams to check in for daily rundowns of the to-dos or report their progress. Collaborate in real-time with your remote teams in Google Docs—but make sure you catch them at the right time by utilizing World Time Buddy to see the time anywhere in the world. Trello and Asana are great for assigning tasks by project and person, and to show progress on them.

2) Provide feedback and availability

There’s nothing worse than remote workers trying to get hold of a manager who is MIA at the moment they’re needed most. Guide your remote teams from afar by giving them clear guidelines and expectations, then be available for follow-up. Check in with them so they know you’re not a hands-off leader. Be ready to provide feedback on their work. Be available to answer questions and address problems as they arise. Keep projects moving by bringing in a project manager as a point person to ensure that even if you aren’t immediately available, progress will continue.

3) Create a ‘loop’ and keep everyone in it

Encouraging transparency within your company is vital to making people feel connected to a larger entity. Newsletters that keep remote teams informed of company happenings on a weekly or bi-weekly bases encourage trust and inclusion. This means keeping them posted on the good and the bad. Communicate what is happening with the company, and people will feel a sense of ownership no matter where they are in the world.

Communicating with a remote team doesn’t have to generate a question mark word bubble. By implementing these simple tips for communication and collaboration, you can lead your company to greater productivity, efficiency and success.