Building the perfect remote team can be a big challenge, but it also comes with a great opportunity. Nowadays, more and more people are working remotely and from different locations thanks to technology. Before the pandemic hit, 65% of workers were interested in working remotely at least some of the time. Now, companies, both big and small, are embracing remote work because they have to and because they prefer it.
Working remotely has its advantages, like being able to tap into talent from all over the world and enjoying the benefits of a flexible lifestyle. However, it also brings its own set of challenges that are different from those faced by teams working in the same physical location. Making sure that remote teams collaborate well, stay productive, maintain positive company culture, and keep team morale high requires careful planning, effective communication strategies, and building strong connections among team members. It's not as simple as working in a traditional office setting. But if you do it right, remote work can lead to excellent performance and results. It just takes some effort to establish the right foundations.
In this article, Igor Debatur, the co-founder of UploadCare, shares advice on how to manage a remote team for your business and some more practical tips based on his experience of growing an international remote team of 35 employees at UploadCare.
UploadCare is an AI cloud file-handling platform that generates millions of dollars in revenue each year. Igor talks about what has worked for him and his team through many trials and errors. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the team's needs, aligning goals, communicating effectively, and fostering a sense of connection among team members.
Igor Debatur
Understand remote workers' basic needs
As the ancient philosopher Maslow understood, basic needs underpin higher-order success and well-being. Remote workers have duties beyond the job that companies used to handle through perks like free meals or cozy offices. Home responsibilities and distractions are constant, so supporting core needs fosters focus.
Here are some easy wins to cover basic needs:
- Provide a suitable workspace
Give each employee funds or reimbursement to outfit a comfortable home office. Ergonomic chairs, adjustable desks, multiple large screens, and noise-canceling headphones are worthy investments that prevent physical and mental fatigue over long work-from-home stretches.
- Consider the cost of living
When setting salaries, research local costs in employees' communities for housing, transportation, food, and utilities. Adjust scales as needed so pay genuinely supports stability rather than constant financial stress that hampers work. Don't assume a US wage translates globally without cost-of-living adjustments.
- Address basics like equipment and internet
Problems like a spotty internet connection or outdated computer instantly sabotage productivity. Keep technology refreshed every few years. Offer allowances for upgrades that specifically benefit work, such as reliable high-speed internet installation.
Assess psychological and social needs
Once physical needs are met, the next tier of needs involves feeling engaged, achieving goals, and fostering social bonds according to Maslow. Remote work requires focus here:
- Set clear, measurable goals
The feeling of accomplishment is truly achieved only when people are able to deliver their set goals and this is acknowledged by their peers.
Always set clear OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), use transparent project management, and regular one-on-one sessions to keep remote employees focused, accountable, and progressing toward milestones. Recognition for hitting targets boosts motivation.
- Facilitate social connectedness
Virtual social activities like weekly coffee meets build spontaneous rapport rarely possible when dispersed. Annual multi-day retreats (in a rotating city each time) strengthen existing relationships and form new bonds over shared experiences.
- Support self-actualization and provide opportunities for growth
Top performers want work aligned with deeply held values like bettering society, embracing diversity, or environmental protection. Run collaborative visioning sessions to craft a clear brand and pathway toward measurable real-world impacts employees truly believe in.
Leaders should discuss career goals and interests with direct reports to understand motivators beyond the immediate job. Then promote new learning, conferences, mentorships, or internal project rotations aligned with each person's ambitions whenever possible.
- Use team collaboration tools strategically
Choosing communication platforms thoughtfully maximizes asynchronous work habits that remote teams rely on. At Uploadcare, Igor says that they use Slack for messaging along with the screen-sharing tool Loom for tutorials and longerform updates.
Public calendars from Google Calendar are also used to maintain updates on availability and prevent scheduling conflicts across time zones. This structure keeps teams operating efficiently despite the distance.
Master asynchronous communication
People are used to synchronous ways of communication. Meaning, if you’ve been asked a question, someone expects you to answer as soon as possible, the same as if they came to you in person in the office. If you don't answer or take too much time to think, this could be considered rude.
You answer, you lose your focus, this is unproductive and everyone loses.
With remote work, the async approach is more fruitful. Async communication allows for:
- Uninterrupted focus time
- Work with different time zones
- Chance to digest and think before responding
- Detailed records
- Every opinion matters
- Healthy work/life balance
To make the most of asynchronous communication in your remote work setup, here are some tried-and-tested approaches:
- Set communication preferences: Ask new team members how they prefer to receive updates, whether it's through messaging, email newsletters, Slack threads, or any other method. Then, make an effort to honor those preferences consistently.
- Use screen-casting: When onboarding or training new hires, record video walkthroughs they can refer to on their own time instead of scheduling unnecessary meetings.
- Prioritize written exchanges: Unless it's an emergency, opt for thorough written responses instead of overwhelming inboxes or wasting synchronous meeting time on minor matters.
- Keep meetings focused: Virtual meetings should be reserved for important collaborative work, not just status updates. Share agendas and document action items to maintain progress and accountability without constant interruptions.
- Encourage work-life balance: Remind employees to turn off notifications outside of work hours so they can fully relax. Respect their vacation and personal days by refraining from work-related conversations unless it's truly urgent.
Building social connections in remote work
Don’t let people feel alone. No matter what tools and workflows you set up, we are social creatures and people tend to get lonely if no one is around. They also tend to get lost if there’s no one nearby to ask for directions.
Here are some activities that have been proven to help remote teams feel connected and build strong bonds at Uploadcare:
- Weekly Intercontinental breakfasts: Every Friday morning, team members gather in a virtual chat for a relaxed coffee session. There's no formal agenda, allowing for natural conversations and the chance to get to know each other better.
- Monthly demos: Team members have the opportunity to showcase their recent achievements, share what they've learned, or present any side projects they've been working on. This not only sparks new ideas but also highlights each person's strengths and accomplishments.
- Quarterly socials: Organize fun activities or virtual events based on shared interests or hobbies, such as playing video games together, baking sessions, or book clubs. These activities help team members bond over common interests and create a sense of camaraderie.
- Annual retreats: Plan an annual retreat in different locations where the entire team can come together. Igor says that his team meets at least once per year. This allows for focused collaboration, cultural experiences, and casual social interactions. It helps maintain personal connections and strengthens teamwork despite the physical distance.
- Slack gamification: Use Slack tools like Donut to randomly pair team members for short one-on-one chats regularly. This encourages team members to connect on a personal level and support each other, fostering a sense of community and resourcefulness.
- Holiday cards/gifts exchange: Create holiday traditions like exchanging cards or small gifts during major holidays. It's a simple gesture that brings a sense of togetherness and shows that team members care about each other, even from afar.
Prioritizing social engagement through both planned activities and spontaneous interactions is important because it helps remote teams overcome the challenges of distance and build strong connections.
The path to a perfect remote team doesn’t end after building the perfect pyramid of needs and setting up async communication. But these are the first steps that help to avoid the most brutal mistakes.
Some key takeaways are:
- Only results are meaningful. You can’t and either shouldn’t look at people's schedules and workplaces if they deliver.
- Change habits if you’ve just started working remotely.
- Lead by example. If you get used to working in async mode, people will follow.
- Use the right tools right. Online calendars and chats are neat add-ons but they aren’t solutions themselves.
- Don’t let people get lost. Help them to navigate and be nearby, make them feel a part of a real team.
Conclusion
Building the perfect remote team is an ongoing process that requires constant nurturing. But with the right strategies in place, it's very possible to have an engaged global team that collaborates effectively while enjoying the flexibility of remote work. The key is understanding people's needs, aligning goals, communicating well both formally and informally, and finding ways to foster meaningful connections among team members across distances. Staying committed to these basics can help remote teams perform at their best.
