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( votes)To remain competitive in the current global business scene, entrepreneurs need top-notch product development and marketing teams supported by innovative technology.
Most times, it is not easy or even affordable to have talented staff to work in these key areas. Entrepreneurs have found a solution in outsourcing the required skills from independent remote teams that can deliver efficiently and affordably.
Remote teams can be used either as a core resource in a virtual setting or as skilled support for in-house workers. Distance workers bring onboard new insights that can help implement CRM in your company for efficient management of internal interactions and customer care.
Here are a few of the most effective ways entrepreneurs can leverage remote teams to improve and sustain their business in the current environment of social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They can even follow it as a routine when things are normal because remote working and outsourcing will actually be the norm in the future.
1. Develop concise procedures
Documented processes are key to harmony in work delivery as it lays guidelines for your remote team operating from dispersed locations. It is important that when you assign tasks to your remote team members, each knows what and how the company expects the work to be done.
You should, therefore, create comprehensive process manuals and post these on your website or provide a copy in whatever convenient format to every remote worker to assist in efficient coordination.
Good procedures should be precise and free of ambiguity to make it easy for your remote workers to follow and to assist them in delivering efficiently.
Your handbooks should be clear about the chain of command, standards, timelines, communication channels, and the overall process from task assignment to delivery. As the need arises and as new ideas and ways of working emerge, update these process systems to keep pace.
2. Delegate and manage smart
Aim for smart management to attain your goals as you give your remote employees the freedom to work in their own space. Avoid micromanaging your team along with the traditional office setup, as this will prove counterproductive. Insist instead on quality and timely delivery of assigned tasks leaving all other details at the discretion of individual members.
Know the strengths and weaknesses of each one and understand how best to utilize these in various units of your operations without suffering disappointments.
Obviously, you have the pioneer team members with experience and understanding of your company’s procedures so they can provide guidance to remote workers joining the company on what is expected. This is an excellent way of delegating responsibility and creating efficiency in your team, leaving you to handle other executive duties.
Despite distances between your remote workers, this pairing will create a team spirit and a sense of belonging that is good for productivity.
With additional responsibilities, you should also offer ways to your employees so that they have ample time on their hands to pursue other activities. Many of them might be studying part-time, or the part-time workers might be studying full time.
In such a case, provide them assignment help through academic writing services that provide thesis, term papers, research papers, dissertation and college essays. Dissertation Today is a known name in this field and offers attractive packages for bulk or regular requirements.
3. Apply technology and sufficient resources
Resources are vital to the production of any kind and entrepreneurs employing remote workers have to consider this and assess what available capacity.
You could have people with the right skills to work for you but without some or all of the requisite tools and resources. Find ways of facilitating such team members with appropriate resources to work with if you think their skills are crucial to your business’s growth.
Consider the use of technology in tandem with your setup to maximize efficiency. Apps like Dropbox and Google Docs are a great way of handling files in real-time online while incorporating comment features to allow for faster review of work in progress.
Another useful tool is the Zoom app that makes video conferencing with your distant workers easy and fun, allowing for face-to-face consultations. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for social distancing, many tech companies like Google are offering free to use online tools that can benefit entrepreneurs.
4. Effective communication and regular check-ins
Communication with your staff, whether in-office or remote, is essential for the effective functioning of the company. Your staff works better when they get to interact with the management and get the benefit of real-life interaction.
When setting up, include online collaboration tools through which you can enjoy live video conferencing with your workers wherever they may be across the world. Use this opportunity to give directions, praise good performance, and solve any arising impediments to smooth flow of work.
The insights you gain from listening to your workers in such sessions will help you improve your operation strategies and even revise your objectives profitably. These sessions will also rejuvenate your team members and help those overcome occasional feelings of loneliness that come with working alone and can lead to diminished productivity.
People by nature are social and perform best in groups, so it is important to create this kind of substitute medium to enhance your staff morale.
5. Develop a long-term strategy to retain talent
Remote workers are independent and this creates a problem for employers who wish to retain outstanding talent. Most entrepreneurs put together a team of talented remote workers and expect it to stay together for long enough to grow the business.
However, this at times is not easy and can leave an entrepreneur in a very awkward position with incomplete projects and out of time. To leverage this talent pool for long-term planning and sustainability, the CEO must be innovative in management and offer attractive benefits.
Aspects of management will include the use of appropriate technology that enhances collaboration and easy communication. Different team members working on the same project want to interact and bounce ideas off each other to spur creativity.
This collaboration creates integrated, value-driven, and talented professional teams that enjoy working together to the benefit of the company. Develop a long-term strategy on how to attract and retain talented professionals while creating a kind of special hub for them in your company.
6. Recognize substance and not form
In the traditional office setting, more often than not, time put in is what counts, occasionally costing the employer overtime payments. However, timely clock-ins and outs do not always correspond to timely work delivery.
Staff report as expected but have to be supervised to work as required creating another costly level of overseers. Whereas close supervision in the office is necessary, the same cannot work well with remote staff.
For distance staff, it is not how many hours but rather the results as demanded. If your teams meet set targets and deliver on time, there is no need to insist on attendance.
To get the best out of these workers, it is advisable to give them the freedom to utilize their time as they please, as long as they understand what and when to deliver. Demonstrate confidence in your teams, be clear in your communication, and set your agenda well for them to execute.
7. Choose right and motivate well
“Choosing the right team is crucial to success in working with a virtual office. The first thing to do is to identify areas in which you need remote staff and clearly define functions involved. This makes it easier for you or a recruiting firm to assist you in matching the right talent to your needs.” says Jake Gardner, HR manager at Assignment Help UK and College Paper Help.
Understand that even when working from home, talented professionals place a premium on their services and do not come cheap. Do not expect overly cheap labor because it is online, and neither opt for the cheapest for their quality could equally be “cheap.”
Once you have the right team in place, create a conducive working atmosphere to make them feel valued and part of your company. Put in place good communication channels, support systems, and rewards for outstanding achievement.
Create a virtual boardroom via communication tools now widely available to promote group discussions and sharing. This way, you build a professional family that will stay with you for the long run.
Conclusion
Smart entrepreneurial management calls for innovative thinking and utilization of available resources efficiently. Besides the traditional office arrangement, a smart entrepreneur can work virtually using skilled remote teams, each operating from their own space and still grow a successful enterprise at a minimal cost.
Set your processes and goals right when hiring distance teams to leverage their potential for the success of your business. Switching your business operations to remote may prove a wise decision, especially with the threat of COVID-19 disease and the need for social distancing as a result.
