Thousands of people worldwide are proving it possible to work anytime, anywhere. Yet despite having the ability to hire talent without being limited by geographic location, many still avoid engaging remote workers for their business activities. Are you the same?

Maybe you’re not receptive to the idea of having members working from different places. Or, perhaps you feel there’s greater risk involved when virtual employees handle sales, creative, or technical work. It may be you just find an office-based environment easier to control.

While there’s nothing wrong with the traditional cubicle, you’ll end up missing out on the advantages that come with hiring remote workers. These include increased job satisfaction, higher revenue, and greater performance, among others.

Don’t let misconceptions lead you to believe that managing a team that’s spread out across the globe is a bad thing. Read on and you may soon realise that much of what you thought you knew about remote work is actually untrue.

What’s the Truth About Managing Remote Teams?

Myth 1: You can’t foster an influential culture

The assumption is that culture has to do with free snacks and other cool perks, but that’s off the mark. It’s about having satisfied and engaged staff who love what they do. These same employees serve as the foundation for the success of your business.

Fostering a strong culture takes a lot of effort but the following methods help:

• Create a ‘culture deck’ that visually communicates your mission, vision, and values along with expected behaviours.
• Hold video or voice meetings regularly to allow colleagues to connect with each other and strengthen their bonds.
• Be transparent, fair, and respectful as a leader so everyone develops trust in you as they follow your example.

When all members are in sync, it’s easier for your work culture to take root and grow.

Myth 2: You won’t find anyone skilled enough

If you think that virtual workers are those who couldn’t qualify for a top position in a formal office, think again. Remote work isn’t for everyone. Only those with a high level of motivation and passion – plus a range of other key traits – are able to further their careers online.

Most remote assistants simply prefer the autonomy and independence of self-employment. In some cases, they’re some of the most highly skilled experts in any given industry. Learn to determine who these resilient and confident people are among the sea of candidates.

Hiring the right individuals spells the difference between a good team and a great one too. They often know how to work and collaborate together with minimal supervision. They’re also the type to genuinely support one another to benefit the company as a whole.

Myth 3: You can’t communicate with them properly

A common issue among online teams is conversing across distances and time zones. Employers often wonder what their staff are doing and what progress is being made even without them there to oversee things. Thankfully, innovation has made communication much easier.

Software, hardware, and tools available today allow for advanced information sharing and schedule organisation. Workers need only to learn how to use them to maximise their productivity.

Here are examples of the best and latest software to use:

• Skype – for real time phone calls, video calls, and chat
• Zoom – for internal or client-facing web and video conferencing
• Basecamp – for product posting, progress signalling, and task organisation
• Slack – for multiple team integration and virtual workplace creation
• TinyPulse – for anonymous assessment of employee satisfaction

Using tools like these eases communication challenges thereby shifting the focus on actual performance and progress.

Myth 4: You won’t get things done on time

Research shows that virtual professionals tend to be more productive than their office-based counterparts. We’ve covered in a previous article top 5 reasons why and how they get more done in less time, improving your bottom line.

For one, they go above and beyond what’s expected of them. Another is that they’re often willing to work longer hours to finish assigned tasks. Plus, they make the extra effort to connect with colleagues. Not to mention they’re generally happier to stay with their employers.

But if you put in the time and effort to hire the right people, it won’t matter where and when they work. A team of responsible and self-managed individuals is sure to be efficient and successful. Their environment doesn’t dictate how they work but they transform their workplace instead.

Putting Together a Great Remote Team

We always emphasise that you need to find skilled and reliable people for your team. However, recruiting top talent is harder than you think. Posting a job listing in well-known websites isn’t always enough, especially when aiming to fill technical positions.

Hundreds of applicants might come flooding in and you’ll be overwhelmed with screening. On the flip side, only a few may apply but none fit the bill, so your choices are limited. Either situation is a cause for concern when you have deadlines to meet with no workers to perform tasks.

Remote Workmate is here to solve your dilemma with our staffing services. Unlike freelancing marketplaces where you do everything yourself, we handle the heavy lifting for you, including recruitment, onboarding, and payroll.