Hiring a remote workforce with location flexibility built into how the organisation functions requires leaders to have the right tools to manage growth, as the way you go about leading your remote workforce can make or break the success of your business.
Some of the challenges you’ll face as a leader of a remote working organisation are: how to manage employee productivity, connection and accountability, company-wide digitisation, remote system and process implementation, mechanisms for communication, maintaining or building a company culture and overall workplace inclusion. You will need to consider these factors for the company to function well.
As a business or unit leader, the responsibility lies with you to lead the charge when developing and growing an environment that is effective and productive for both the employees and the business.
So, whether you are a fast-scaling start-up using an entirely remote workforce, an in-office business turned remote or a hybrid working company, these five keys I used to build and grow RecruitMyMom will help you build a thriving business, no matter where your staff work:
- Start with a mindset of “remote working will work”
When I started RecruitMyMom 10 years ago, I set out to educate and demonstrate to business owners that hired skills could work more flexibly, in the office or from home, and if given the opportunity, will deliver results based on productivity and not only on presence. At the time, companies had practically unheard of remote and hybrid workforces. RecruitMyMom grew successfully over the years with an entirely remote team because I started with a mindset that “remote working will work.”
If you are considering building a business or business unit using a remote workforce, start with the mindset that it will work and it can work, and you will find that it does work.
If you are transitioning from in the office to hybrid or remote working, you must bring middle management with you on the journey. Research shows that managers who cannot “see” their direct reports sometimes struggle to trust that their employees are working.
- Be intentional about how you set up structures and processes.
The ongoing success of any business, whether hybrid, remote or in-office, will depend on how the structures and processes are created. Remember that a remote office works differently from having your employees sitting around desks within sight. You will need to rely on in-built systems to measure productivity. The following ideas provide solutions:
- Ensure you have well-functioning communication channels for accessible and easy to use communication between leadership and staff members. Choose an instant messaging tool like WhatsApp or Slack to enable instant messages between colleagues.
- Decide on the processes you need to retain a sense of structure in the remote team. Use cloud-based tools like Microsoft Cloud, Google for business, or project management tools like Trello and Asana to collaborate on projects. Create access to HR tools like leave request forms in easily accessible cloud-based folders.
- Nurture the virtual office culture by encouraging employees to pick up the phone and speak to one another or reach out when they need assistance. Set up regular video face-to-face, the camera on, team meetings and team-building activities.
- Clarify an employee’s work plan and KPMs and give them a practical framework from which to operate. Hold regular results and solutions meetings where leaders can share weekly tasks and strategy input.
- Over-communication is the mantra of remote working companies.
As a remote organisation, communication is the lifeblood of your business. Over-communication is the mantra for building successful remote working companies.
Set up processes and structures for communication channels to ensure effective and rapid deployment of information. The mechanisms for communication should encourage the free flow of information and staff to build healthy work relationships with one another. For example, continuous reminders to the team to share the highs and lows go a long way in building long-term unity and a healthy culture amongst employees.
The circle of communication in a remote team is vital to its survival. For example, employees can feel overlooked because they’re working quietly on their own, and nobody sees how much value they are adding every week. However, if they communicate with their line manager and the rest of the team, they feel included.
A Bain & Company study recommends using shorter, more frequent team meetings to help with communication, and their recommendation is to use video wherever possible.
- Get the practical things right from the beginning.
Getting the practical things right from the beginning may seem obvious, but it causes frustration in a remote work environment if not addressed. Ensure that the company technology is working and up to date. Assist them in having the right technology in place by either providing the tools or stipulating the requirements. All your staff need to have the best of what you require them to have if you are working remotely.
In South Africa, a fast fibre internet line is often the most stable, although many rely on cellular connectivity. For instance, when you have an employee who is constantly struggling to connect on a line that you have not prescribed, it disrupts the team workflow and ultimately impacts business growth.
Get the practical things right to continue working together seamlessly, and you don’t hit unnecessary speed bumps.
- Protect the company culture of remote teams
The preservation of the company culture is vital in a remote work environment. Creating company culture in a remote workforce is doable. Bricks and mortar do not create culture; people do. Be intentional about incorporating the company culture into the remote team structure and ensure that you employ good staff that fit that culture.
Here are some ideas to ensure a remote workforce does not dilute your company culture:
- Communicate the company values:
The values of a company often underpin organisational culture. Therefore, every employee must understand the company values and abide by them in dealing with all stakeholders.
- Set up human connection touchpoints:
Intentionally set up touchpoints for human interaction between staff members. Are they encouraged to pick up the phone to speak to someone on the team? Do they have access to virtual team builds and online meetings, and do they feel free to set up 15-minute virtual coffee dates with others on the team? Encourage these touchpoints, and nurture them within the organisation.
- Rhythm meetings:
Encourage the teams within your organisation to establish weekly check-in meetings. We call these ‘rhythm meetings.’ There’s a time for tasks and priorities, and others for brainstorming, discussions and connecting on team dynamics. Both are important and help to keep the culture strong within smaller teams.
- Do your homework when hiring new employees.
Ask the right questions in an interview to establish if a potential employee is a good culture fit. Our recruiters spend considerable time asking questions about client culture. Are you able to describe your company culture clearly? Some organisations use psychometric tests to gauge the characteristics of a candidate and then see if they match the culture.
- Reframe your company so that it is remote-first:
Plan team building activities online, and encourage virtual coffee dates and meetups for employees who live in the same area. Plan special virtual events and ensure that online interactions are a priority. Make remote working the norm.
Growing an organisation using an entirely remote workforce is not for everyone. However, it works exceptionally well for me and underpins the essence of what we stand for – flexible work-life integration. That said, there is no one size fits all approach to how you structure your business and position it for growth.
