How Distributed Teams Make The Most Out Of Their Time

It wasn’t that long ago when organisations depended entirely upon the skills of workers that were available within the geographic confines of their region. Things have changed now, thanks to the advent of the online whiteboard. For the uninitiated, an online whiteboard is a multipurpose tool that has helped remote workers and employers get the best out of all their remote projects, from any location on the planet.

Using a shared whiteboard online has given the modern ‘distributed’ team an advantage like no other. With superior technology and reliable internet connections, the remote working trend has taken root within all spheres of organizational requirements.

But how do these remote workers actually work? How do distributed teams ensure their work stays relevant to their employer’s goals? Let’s find out.

Productivity

Ever since the remote working trend became popular within organisations worldwide, this working style has received its fair share of criticism. The productivity of remote employees has always been questioned and remote teams have always had to prove otherwise. Technology has once again come to the rescue.

With advanced collaboration applications, distributed teams can easily hold online meetings and thought sessions. With the nature of remote work, it becomes more important for team managers to conduct regular meet-ups in order to keep the team from veering off track. Based on the requirements, these team meetings can be scheduled daily or weekly and include discussions on on-going and up-coming tasks.

Project Management

Another aspect of remote working that seems daunting is project management. However, if done right, it ensures all work is delivered within timelines and quality standards. For remote projects to be successful, team members expect clear deliverables. With clarity on the objective, remote workers spend less time seeking clarifications and focus on the job at hand.

To get the best application of available resources it is important to delegate tasks as per plan and ensuring each task has an associated deadline for the remote employee to work accordingly. With such measures, time management becomes second nature for all remote team members and task delivery is paced efficiently.

Expectation Setting

Remote work thrives on the idea of flexibility, however this flexibility can also come in the way of timely task delivery. To keep your remote team focussed on the work, it is essential to set expectations in the early stages of employment. A good practise that most remote teams follow is to have precise documents outlining their responsibilities.

A quick reading of these documents will give your team an understanding of the nature of work that is expected of them. With no confusion regarding their role in the team, remote workers will apply their skills better and the end results will exceed expectations.

Team Building

While remote working offers unmatched advantages, it also has a downside. Feeling isolated or bored is quite common amongst distributed teams. To counter this, remote teams conduct frequent team get-togethers, either online or offline. This builds a sense of camaraderie amongst the workers and keeps them engaged with the organisation’s goals.

While using an online collaboration application or software gives a remote team the freedom to work together anytime, it can also help the same team bond through video conferencing or audio calls. When a remote team bonds through these techniques they get to know their teammates better, which in turn helps in creating a friendly work environment.

In conclusion

The remote working trend will only get bigger and better from here. The onus is on remote employees to make the best use of their time while working online. With technology on their side, distributed teams can extract the maximum benefit while enjoying the freedom of working from a location of their choice.

These were some of the ways in which modern remote teams make the most out of their time. Got something to add? Let us know in the comments section.