Tips for Successful Remote Work From a Remote Team

It doesn’t seem like all that long ago that many of us were navigating remote work for the first time—ring lights, cat filters, the debatable necessity of pants. And while that wild time of trying on our digital nomad hats out of necessity may be in the rearview mirror for many, others are still holding on for dear life, citing better work-life balance and increased productivity and efficiency.

Remote work isn’t going anywhere

There are a good number of companies still allowing a hybrid model while others are tightening the reins again, and still others that say they’ll never go back, thrilled to shed the office space overhead costs and to have employees actually seem more available with flexible schedules and the ability to work from anywhere. It’s arguably also opened up the job pool, expanding access to available talent and allowing companies with global teams to literally be working 24/7.

When traditional office-based companies were scrambling a few years ago, RVLVR was able to keep driving forward in the channel marketing space because we’ve always had a remote team with individuals distributed across North America and in India. Recently, we were able to launch RVLVR Asia to expand our reach in the Asia-Pacific region and strengthen our collaborative efforts. Having always had this nimble approach, we’ve avoided some of the obstacles that can admittedly be an issue when moving from a brick-and-mortar office setting to remote work, but we’ve also learned a lot of lessons, streamlined our processes, and become even more convinced of the benefits of virtual teamwork.

Making remote work WERK

The challenges and benefits of remote work are really two sides of the same coin, but they’re also instructive in terms of creating a virtual environment in which both employees and businesses thrive. The beauty of remote work is that it is an inherently individual activity, so people can discover, define, and refine their best practices and strategies to work with and within the broader team. It’s the old oxygen mask metaphor; sort yourself out first, so that you’re better equipped to help others (i.e. be an asset to your team). But everything comes down to 2 main considerations: time management and clear communication.

No surprise here: time management is essential

Aside from the obvious benefit of time saved in not having to commute to and from a physical workspace, the parameters of the workday are a lot more fluid for remote teams, which like so many things can be a blessing and a curse. Can you stub out a schedule that allows you to take your kids to school, get in a workout, and still get your work done? Absolutely. Do you occasionally have to make yourself presentable for an on-camera meeting at an ungodly hour because that’s a normal working hour for your client on the other side of the world? Absolutely.

Set boundaries

Remote workers have to set boundaries (e.g. turning off notifications after a certain time), but also be flexible. Whether it’s a digital calendar, a good ol’ paper planner, or a hybrid of both, allotting time for work, but also in-between-meeting, reflect-and-reset time is essential. You cannot expect to go from a presentation that ends at 2pm straight into a 2pm call and repeat that back-to-back schedule all week without experiencing burnout. It should go without saying, but you’ve also got to make sure that you don’t allow for distractions when you’re “at work” even if you’re also technically “at home.” This is why many remote workers still choose to go outside of the home; the clear delineation of space is often helpful when it comes to donning your ‘work hat.’

Respect boundaries

It’s become cliché, but there’s a reason for the saying “set yourself up for success.” This applies to your remote colleagues and employees, too. You have to respect their boundaries. Just because you know they’ll probably see a notification about a project task or email, doesn’t mean you should expect them to respond if it’s outside of their working hours. They might, but that doesn’t establish a precedent. And, at some point, you’re probably going to want to invest in a project management program, so that after-hours notes can go through that channel instead of blowing up someone’s email, so you don’t have to send a follow-up email every time you want to make sure a task has been completed, and so there’s plenty of documentation and accountability.

Communication is at least a two-way street; sometimes it’s a freeway

When teams are able to expand, their knowledge and client bases also diversify. This shift is magnified when a remote team is international. Naturally, this requires some nuance and sensitivity to different perspectives and work styles. But with clear and consistent communication, remote teams can learn from one another, bolster collaborative efforts, and create their own unique team culture. Effective communication ensures that remote employees have a clear understanding of their jobs and project goals.

Speak up

One of the perils of remote work can be a sense of isolation. And over time, one’s interpersonal and teamwork skills might get a little rusty. To avoid confusion, misunderstanding, and perceived underappreciation, remote workers must speak up and have avenues and time to do so. Having tools in place that allow for a variety of forms of communication supports collaboration, improves team morale, and boosts productivity. Replacing sticky notes and whiteboards with Slack channels and project tickets isn’t a big leap, but it will keep everyone in the loop and allow for better alignment.

Listen up and lift up

On the leadership side, managers need to create opportunities for team building, engagement, and even—gasp—occasional in-person meetings. Leaders also need to remember that listening is a crucial part of facilitating clear communication. Meetings need to have clear agendas or stated purposes (i.e. Is this a working session where each attendee needs input or is this a led meeting where a presenter is clearly outlining and sharing important information?). Managers should also be sure to ask for feedback (and be willing to respond to questions) and bake in checkpoints along the way to make sure everyone is on the same page. Even though remote work has been around for a long time, some managers may still be getting the hang of it and be learning by doing, so some self-awareness, willingness to adjust, and proactive education will go a long way in ensuring the success of the entire remote team.

Remote work is scalable

When RVLVR started out, we only had a couple of time zones to contend with, but with the growth made possible by our agile team and plenty of Slack huddles, the team expanded. Now, it’s safe to say that at any hour of the day, someone on our team is working on one of our projects. This is fantastic for coverage and efficiency. An important handoff doesn’t have to wait a full 24-hour cycle before someone gets to work. We often sign off for the day having updated our project management software and wake up to the deliverables in our inboxes. But as with anything, the addition of more moving pieces and smart voices adds to the complexity. Being ready and willing to adopt programs and processes that may seem like extra work in the beginning is crucial to our success. And it is this collaborative spirit and focus that makes the remote team work dream work.