5 Ways to Foster Innovation with Your Remote Workforce
…that doesn’t require a full return to office
John Abraham
Co-founder, Haymaker
John has been in sales leadership for much of his career. He learned how to manage his remote team effectively with considerations for each person’s remote situation.
Whether you’re creating the next game app or working on cutting-edge green vehicles, there are things that you can do as a leader to make sure you are enabling an innovative culture with your remote team.
Be Clear about Your Remote Work Policy
Are you a remote-first or remote-friendly or something else? Are employees expected to be online during certain hours? How often are employees expected to meet with their teams in-person? This might sound like pretty basic, but setting the in-person and remote expectations for your team is the first step in establishing your culture. Make sure everyone is on the same page. It’s important to account for all the variables associated with your entire team. This includes time zones, specific work accommodations, commute times, etc. You should also be clear about any allowances or stipends that your company provides to remote employees for furnishing a home office or using a temporary workspace outside of the employees’ home.
Create Mentorship Programs
One of the most important aspects of building trust and a sense of belonging in a remote team is helping people grow and learn from their peers. Make sure that each team member has a way of sharing their goals and challenges with their colleagues in a formal way through a formal mentorship program. It’s also important that each team member has a person in a position that is senior to theirs that they can seek advice and guidance from in the capacity of their role. Preferably someone who has walked in their shoes and can help the new associate understand what to focus on in priority. Your mentorship program should:
- Establish requirements for participation in the program
- Establish specific mentor activities and guidelines
- Match mentors with proteges
- Follow a specific development plan
- Monitor and evaluate the results of the program
Create a Safe Space for Each Team Member
Studies have shown that teams that are more emotionally connected and engaged work more effectively together. Be sure to set a clear process for collaboration and communication and don’t forget to acknowledge the differences in the way people learn and work.
Make Incremental Adjustments
Almost no company has gotten everything right on the first try when it comes to remote work. Make sure that you are doing regular check-ins with your teams to confirm that your strategies are working and course correct where needed. Your employees’ needs will change over time and it’s important to make sure that you are accommodating those changes. Consider initiating quarterly surveys to make sure that your team members’ needs are being met.
Set Aside Time for In-Person Collaboration
Team collaboration goes beyond using the right remote work products, services and processes. Setting aside time for in-person punctuated collaboration is a great way to make sure everyone has a chance to voice new ideas and distill them down to workable areas. Haymaker has plenty of spaces that you and your team can use for this exercise.
I hope these tips will help you manage the ever changing requirements of the new remote work experience for you and your employees. I created Haymaker to help solve a problem I had myself managing remote teams, and hope that you find Haymaker a helpful arrow in your quiver. Haymaker is happy to help you develop your remote work strategy from a space perspective through our Concierge services. Just drop me a line – I’d love to hear from you.