Running a remote team is fast becoming the go-to option for businesses over the UK. It can boost an employee’s morale and work ethic, lower an individual’s carbon footprint as the daily commute is no longer needed and can also reduce costs to the employer. However, there are some things you will need to know before venturing out on your own. 
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Choose the right candidates
- When conducting the interview process, it’s important to remember that you aren’t restricted to hiring people who live in a certain radius of your workplace. Cast your net wider to get the best chance of hiring the right candidate.
- Using a range of different interview methods will help you seek out who is right for the job but also who has the ability to work unaccompanied. Test people’s verbal and written skills by conducting interviews via Skype, phone and email.
- Set each candidate a small task that would reflect the work they’re likely to be carrying out, this way you can test their ability to work to deadlines, communication skills and quality of work. Use the best tools When you have a remote workforce, communicating and sharing work should be as simple as possible to keep everything flowing smoothly. That’s why it’s best to use tools that are known as cloud computing, making everything secure, yet easily accessible to the right people. Some examples include:
- Google Drive: Great for being able to share documents, spreadsheets, powerpoints & more with colleagues.
- Google Hangouts: M akes company wide communication simple, you can chat with anyone in your list, video call and even share your screen to collaborate on work.
- Pivotal Tracker: P roject planning made easy, stick to deadlines and manage team projects efficiently.
- Doodle: Always struggle finding the time to set a meeting around your colleague’s schedules? Conduct polls to find out when they are available. Establish good processes In order to ensure that work is on track and your employees are working efficiently, you should follow these regular processes:
- Set up regular hangouts: Video call or simply chat with coworkers to update each other with a task’s progress or just to say hi!
- Establish clear guidelines: B e clear with employees about what is expected of them when working remotely, prompt responses to communication and deadlines being met are a couple of the requirements you should set.
- Provide relevant training opportunities: Give employees access to training that will help them perform their roles effectively and safely.
- Conduct regular reviews: Working remotely shouldn’t mean going off the radar. Make sure to check in with employees to identify any issues or questions they may have. Running a remote team can be challenging, as keeping track of workloads and keeping communication flowing isn’t always easy when your colleague is out of the office. But by following these steps, you’ll be on your way to achieving the results you want to see!