3 Key Rules for Project Management with Remote Employees

If you believe working from home is all about flannel pyjamas, you might want to rethink that.

After a Stanford study showed the benefits of remote working – which include increased productivity, fewer sick days and lower costs associated with commercial rent for companies – many businesses started to embrace the idea of hiring remote workers when it comes to digital project management.

In addition to benefits like the ones highlighted in this study, hiring remote workers allows you to tap into a much larger talent network than possible if you were to limit your search to a single geographic location. Whether you’re working with freelancers on a short-term basis or choosing to give your permanent in-house staff more flexibility, remote working is a trend worth embracing and it’s likely here to stay.

That being said, working with remote team members requires a few management tweaks that you might not think about when working with people who are onsite all the time. Keep these in mind when working with a team that spans the globe.

Keeping track of tasks is now more crucial than ever

Without the luxury of being able to pop into Bob’s office down the hall and ask how it’s going with that data you need for the next stage of your project, it’s now especially key to maintain a sense of who is handling what and when you can expect certain tasks to be completed.

Now is the time to invest in a quality project management platform that tracks your project phases, lists every team member’s role, streamlines workflows and allows key information to be shared centrally.

Digital project management is the future of project management for a reason; it benefits both in-house and remote teams and gives them access to the same information. Simply browse TaskBranch’s features, for example.

The cloud is your friend

If you plan to work with remote team members on a consistent basis, it’s crucial that your information is available to them wherever they are. Moving your business to the cloud ensures your team has access to all the business documents, client information and project specs they need to, regardless of what device they’re using or where they are. If you’re using a digital project management platform to streamline your activities, it’s a good idea to make sure it’s cloud-based too.

Make time for face-to-face

A key aspect of managing remote workers is maintaining a team environment, even though your team may actually be spread out geographically. With a good project management platform you can see what your team is up to, but there’s no real replacement for face-to-face interaction.

To keep up the team vibe, make sure you schedule regular video check-ins using Skype or Zoom. Even a short video call to explain a task can have a big impact when it comes to human connection. If all – or even some – of your employees are in a relatively close area, you can also schedule team-building activities, whether that’s an on-site lunch and learn, or an activity offsite. Not only does this give your team a chance to connect in-person, but it gives everyone the opportunity to see their fellow workers in a different context.

Managing a project with remote employees doesn’t need to be an extra hassle on top of all your other digital project management duties. In fact, it has the potential to get you even better results when you take into consideration the benefits that remote workers report. Once you get used to the idea that you need to implement a few key principles into the management of your remote team, you’ll be on your way to a much smoother, productive and human experience.  

To try TaskBranch with your remote team, sign up for a free 30 day trial today!