Boosting Collaboration: 7 Simple Techniques for Managing Remote Employees

In the dynamic landscape of remote work, the role of a manager becomes even more crucial. Facilitating collaboration in a virtual setting presents unique challenges—from varied energy levels to language differences. For managing remote teams, adopting engagement techniques is vital.

Table of Contents

Seven Techniques To Increase Collaboration While Managing Remote Employees

1. Ask Questions in Multiple Ways While Managing Remote Employees
2. Direct Questions to Specific People
3. While Managing Remote Employees, Share Your Point of View
4. Suggest Something Ridiculous to Encourage Thinking Out of the Box
5. Sense of Humor is Important While Managing Remote Employees
6. Insert Breaks While Managing Remote Employees During Long Meetings
7. Change the Subject if It Is Not Progressing

Conclusion

Seven Techniques To Increase Collaboration While Managing Remote Employees

Let’s explore seven simple yet effective strategies for managing remote teams.

1. Ask Questions in Multiple Ways While Managing Remote Employees

Asking questions is a skill for a manager, but the key is to ask them in various ways while managing remote employees. This technique ensures your message is clear and resonates with all team members. For instance, instead of a straightforward inquiry about missed goals, you might ask, “What do you believe could be the underlying cause for missing goals multiple times in a row?” While managing remote employees, open-ended questions invite detailed responses and promote a good discussion.

2. Direct Questions to Specific People

Encouraging participation from all team members is crucial for effective collaboration. Rather than relying on the loudest voices, you can direct questions to specific individuals while managing remote employees. This approach gives quieter team members a chance to express their thoughts. By starting with those who are less vocal, you create an inclusive environment, ensuring that every team member contributes to the discussion.

3. While Managing Remote Employees, Share Your Point of View

While the role of a manager is to be a neutral facilitator, it doesn’t mean you can’t have an opinion. Share your thoughts as suggestions, drawing from your experience. However, it’s essential to voice your view towards the end of the discussion to avoid influencing the team’s decision-making process. This way, you contribute valuable insights while managing remote employees without steering the team in a particular direction.

4. Suggest Something Ridiculous to Encourage Thinking Out of the Box

Encouraging creativity in remote teams means getting creative yourself. Sometimes, suggesting something a little crazy can help generate unique ideas. Even if the suggestion is intentionally silly, it gets the team thinking and encourages them to develop different, maybe better, solutions. This approach creates an open-minded environment where everyone can explore new and unconventional ideas.

5. Sense of Humor is Important While Managing Remote Employees

In the online world, where we can’t see each other, adding a bit of humor can make a big difference. You don’t have to be a comedian; a small, light joke can make things more enjoyable when managing remote teams. A funny comment or joke during virtual meetings can break the seriousness and bring some energy back to the team while managing remote employees. The idea is to create a positive and friendly atmosphere, making work more fun.

6. Insert Breaks While Managing Remote Employees During Long Meetings

Long online meetings can be draining while managing remote employees, and without visual cues, it’s challenging to gauge when to take a break. Implement a structured approach. Either set a 10 to 15-minute break in the middle of longer sessions or ask if anyone feels the need for a break. Surprisingly, team members almost always welcome the idea of briefly pausing, allowing everyone to recharge and maintain focus.

7. Change the Subject if It Is Not Progressing

If a topic isn’t progressing or causing confusion while managing remote employees, consider changing the subject. Don’t stick to a lost cause; explore another topic requiring attention. This approach keeps the collaboration dynamic and prevents the team from getting stuck on unproductive discussions. You can even conduct a short retrospective within a meeting to assess collaboration effectiveness.

Conclusion

In the online workplace, these seven techniques are like handy tools when in charge of a remote team. They help deal with common issues like different energy levels, cultural gaps, and language differences. Using these strategies, managers can set up a teamwork-friendly environment that boosts creativity, includes everyone, and gets things done efficiently. Managing a team from afar doesn’t have to be scary.

Managing remote teams can be challenging, but you can navigate it with others. If you seek expert assistance and practical solutions, consider contacting Recruit Ninjas. Our professionals specialize in remote team management, providing valuable insights and strategies to enhance your team’s productivity and collaboration. Don’t hesitate to connect with Recruit Ninjas!

The video, ‘7 Tips To Improve Collaboration For Remote Teams’ by Vibhor Chandel, inspired this blog.