How to Manage a Remote Team for a Fast-Growing Digital Business

With the dawn of the digital age, more and more aspiring entrepreneurs are abandoning the old brick-and-mortar business models in search of online business success, and for a good number of reasons at that. Not only does leading a digital business eliminate overhead costs associated with running a company, but most importantly, it opens up a world of networking opportunities – it allows you to tap into the global talent pool and hire the best of the best in the industry.

However, managing a remote team is not an easy task, especially for a fast-growing company. There are numerous risks and common pitfalls of remote team management you should be wary of, so let’s take a look at the five effective ways to lead a digital workforce that will propel your brand forward.

The importance of honesty and transparency

The millennial workforce is not easy to please, and if there is anything modern employees won’t tolerate in their work environment, it’s dishonesty. A surefire way for your team members to leave you high and dry in the most crucial of times is to keep them in the dark, demanding that they do their job without asking too many questions.

This is a red flag for the modern employee, and they will not hesitate to leave you in search of a company where they will feel appreciated. In order to avoid this, while building a strong, co-depended team, you want to set a foundation of honesty, transparency, and freedom of communication. This will also portray a trustworthy image of your brand, which is extremely important in the digital realm.

Make regular meetings a priority

Many online entrepreneurs and business leaders fall prey to one common pitfall when leading a remote team: unstructured face-time with their employees. While regular email communication is important, you should make regular face-to-face meetings with your team members a priority if you want to create a trustworthy bond, boost productivity, and resolve any issues promptly.

Meticulous team management through scheduled meetings should be one of the pillars of your growth strategy, and nowadays it’s easy to gather your employees in a single spot using a digital office space. With numerous video call apps at your disposal that can support numerous interlocutors at a time, you should have no problem leading productive weekly meetings with your team.

Emphasize workplace diversity

In the modern business world, workplace diversity is not just an option, it’s an imperative. Not only for the creation of a trustworthy brand image that the public will respect, but also for the creation of a crack team of professionals hailing from every corner of the world.

Remember, the best talent in the industry could be hiding anywhere, and you can find it through professional disability employment services, who are providers of skill training for people with disabilities. Companies like this help these people find a job and can get you in contact with some of the most skilled workers in your niche. By employing people from a variety of backgrounds and skill sets, you will be able to build a diversified team of professionals and uphold a reputation of a modern, trustworthy brand with a winning company culture.

Build a positive company culture

Having a strong company culture with clearly-defined values the employees and global audiences can relate to is extremely important in the modern digital world. Fortunately, you can easily build yours by defining your company’s values, putting them into context and communicating them with your employees, and just having fun in the workplace. Remember to avoid micromanaging your employees and to give them adequate autonomy over their work in order to build a company people actually enjoy being a part of – in turn, this will boost cohesion in the team.

Boost productivity with the right software

Last but not least, there can be no long-term productivity in a remote team without proper team-management software in place. A digital entrepreneur understands the importance of having workflow software on deck in order to monitor their team’s performance at all times, have a single platform where everyone can upload their work and communicate, and just act as a team working in a real office space. Couple such software with a strict work schedule and deadlines and you will have no problem keeping your team members in check.

Leading a remote team is definitely not an easy task in the modern business world, especially for a fast-growing company that needs the support of all its employees. By implementing these tactics, you should have no problem boosting productivity across the board and setting the stage for long-term success in the industry.

Author Bio:

Lauren Wiseman is an entrepreneur, currently based in Melbourne and a regular contributor to bizzmarkblog.com. She assists clients in growing their personal and professional brands in a fast-changing and demanding market environment. Covering finance and investment topics, Lauren strongly believes in holistic approach to business.

Do you lead a remote team?

If so, which strategies do you use to manage them?