Every entrepreneur knows that communication is the key to running a successful business. It’s an important aspect both when working at the office and even more so when working with a remote team. Even the best software is useless if you cannot properly communicate with your employees.
Remote work offers a lot of opportunities but has its fair share of challenges too. For one, working remotely means that you’re unable to see your colleagues in person, which is something that can hinder your ability to communicate with them properly.
Below we offer some pieces of advice about how to communicate with your remote employees effectively.
The basics of remote work
The absolute cornerstone of working with a team is to define the goals and then how to achieve them. This should be your first task when you welcome remote employees or when you allow your employees to work from home.
When your employees start to work remotely, are they expected to utilize unified communications during their working hours? Or, are you more concerned about their output at the end of the day? Regardless of what your preferences are, it’s vital that you and all of your employees are on the same page when it comes to working remotely.
While the remote team is working you should check in with your team for updates on tasks and projects and ask for reports at the end of the day. Regularly asking for updates from your remote employees is vital as this can keep them engage and may positively affect their productivity. Just make sure that you’re not overdoing it because checking up on your employees several times during the day can also make it challenging for them to focus on their tasks. In some cases, this can even make your employees feel as if you don’t trust them with their tasks.
It is also crucial to anticipate hypothetical changes and inform the team about upcoming tasks. Regardless of how exemplary your remote employees are, keep in mind that they will always need some time to adjust to the changes made by the company.
Engage your employees in the conversation
It is important to make sure that your employees are comprehending what you are saying and not just mindlessly nodding. You should engage them in the conversation by asking questions and showing interest in what they are saying. That way, you make them feel important and valued, and at the same time are making sure that they grasp the concept of what you are trying to tell them.
It is important to make room not only for listening but also for discussions. Make sure that your employees feel comfortable enough to ask you questions to make sure they understood your words correctly, and to speak up about their own ideas. Their voice can be crucial to improving a certain task or project and for increasing the effectiveness of their work.
For you to effectively engage with your employees in the conversation, regularly schedule meetings. You can utilize several video conferencing apps that allow you to listen and see your remote employees. As long as used properly, these apps can become your ticket to encourage your employees to work effectively and keep them engaged even if they’re working remotely.
Seek the right time to communicate
Contact your employees at the right time. What does that mean? Look for those moments when they are not focused on the task you gave them. You do not want to interrupt them in the middle of their work because it can lead to errors and break their focus. What is more, when they are working on something else, they are not tuned into the conversation – which also can lead to more mistakes being made in the future. In conclusion, make sure they are focused only on the conversation.
Sometimes the best way to achieve that is by organizing an online meeting. That way they will book their time only for you. Make sure to schedule the meetings ahead of time so your employees can properly set their schedules and not sacrifice any tasks at hand.
Communicate using the right methods
Alternatively, you can choose from various ways of communication: phone calls, messaging, e-mail, video chat. It is important to choose the right one at the right time. Some meetings can be unnecessary, and an e-mail would be more suitable in order to not disrupt the work of your team, while sometimes a phone call that will last three minutes is more appropriate than an unbelievably long e-mail that will take a lot of time to “decode”.
As mentioned, there are many communication tools available today. As their boss, you should know which to use for specific purposes. For example, if you only want an update for a specific project from one employee, it might be best if you send this person an email. However, if you want to know updates from an entire team, you might get better results when you set up a video call with all of the team members.
Which software is the best for communicating with a remote team?
There are lot of software that can be used to organize online meetings with your team. Live Webinar is an excellent choice. It is a cloud-based solution that provides highly professional webinar services, requires zero downloads and full customization is guaranteed. To learn more on how to manage a remote software team, read more on DevsData’s blog at https://devsdata.com
