Teamwork in remote teams

Remote teams are becoming the new normal - driven by global work, flexible working, and enabled by technology. UK research suggests that by 2030, co-located teams will be in the minority.

"Remote teams can be formed for specific projects or for business as usual. Benefits are access to skills wherever they are located as well as diversity and enabling flexible working" - Julia Morgan

Sometimes it works.....

"If you are going to dream big and want to be a global company and globalisation is a fact of life, then you have to accept the challenges and the limitations it presents, and make it work." - Research project participant

Sometimes not so much.....

"The time differences are so hard to manage in my team – so that’s why we only get together once every two weeks." Research project participant

Balancing Benefits & Costs

A set of pain points:

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Pain Point 1: Trying to work synchronously when you are in different time zones can lead to work-life balance challenges.

SOLUTIONS:

• Agree ways of working up-front and set limits on available time.

• Leverage technology to work asynchronously. Research indicates that companies which use technology to communicate in day-to-day work report greater success of remote teams.

Pain Point 2: Challenges in building trust among team members who haven’t met each other.

SOLUTIONS:

• Using tools to help develop mutual understanding of style and behaviour can help.

• Keep communications open and clear.

• Best practice suggests:
  • Kick off relationships face-to-face where possible. Make time for personal connections as well as work.
  • Get everyone comfortable with your communication technology.
  • Get synchronous time when possible.

Pain Point 3: Tendency to fall into transactional/task execution rather than keeping a strategic focus.

SOLUTIONS:

• Research indicates that Transformational Leadership is the most effective style for remote teams – in particular these two behaviours:
  • Set an inspiring shared vision.
  • Give individualised attention to each team member.
• Communicate regularly the business strategy and the role of the team in delivering it.
• Ensure remote team members feel part of the strategy as much as those who are co-located.

Pain Point 4: Difficulty coaching for performance when you are not present day-to-day.

SOLUTIONS:

• Set up clear ways of working with the team, including regular feedback and coaching time.
• Identify a local person who can provide timely feedback.
• Build your understanding of their work/market context.
• Set up regular career development conversations.
• Nothing beats being there – make trips when necessary to build understanding of the local context and to observe behaviour in person.

Pain Point 5: Sensitivity and challenge of managing underperformance.

SOLUTIONS:

• Set up clear ways of working with the team, including regular feedback and coaching time.
• Set clear expectations of performance and agree how you will measure them.
• Identify a local person to provide timely feedback and support and who could raise a flag if you need to step in.
• If you are in a matrix organisation then use it.

COMMUNICATION IS KEY

• Frequent and in all directions.
• Formal, informal, spontaneous.
• Adapt for cultural difference.

LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY

• Technology as part of your culture.
• Benefits of non-verbal comms via video.
• Enable asynchronous work.

PRIORITISE RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING

• Create a climate that is personal and professional.
• Find short cuts to develop relationships, build trust.