In this blog you'll find 2x3 tools:

• 3 principles for managing remote teams;
• 3 team motivation tools to get the results you need.
  

Interested? 

Scroll further!

PART 1: 3 principles for managing remote teams

Let's start with 3 principles that will help you to manage remote teams successfully - from our CEO, Aija.

She has led global hybrid teams (partly remote, partly on-site, and people working in different time zones) even long before the pandemic.

Here's what she has learned through years of experience:

1. Be ready mentally.

Hybrid work is present, and it's normal, and it's staying.

As you set the tone as a leader, make sure you have the mindset in place and embrace the change yourself.

Believe it or not, this type of work can even make the team more motivated (you'll see why below).

2. Organise all meetings online.

It's easier to chat with the team that sits right next to you, however, it may cause your remote team members to feel left out.

Make sure to say the important information during online meetings, so that everyone is equally informed.

To make the remote team members feel even more included, create an “open door” time - a certain time every week when you're available for a video call and anyone can join it.

3. Add fun time to the workweek.

People we work with - in a lot of cases it is what keeps people in the company in the long term. 

Make it your priority to figure out ways to keep the fun and sincere relationships in place, even remotely.

Start a chat for fun memes only, include fun icebreakers in any meeting - it's your decision. You know your team the best.

But remember - this is crucial if you want this to work in the long term.

Now, let's talk about the hardest part of change management in hybrid teams.

PART 2: 3 team motivation tools

One of the hardest tasks while managing hybrid teams, right?

These are tools that will help your team stay motivated, and bring you results.

1. Autonomy + individual strengths.

• The freedom to the employee to decide how and when they do the work, and
  
• doing the things they're naturally good at and/or enjoy doing.
  

This is the part we “warned” you about in the first 3 principles. Ability to control their own schedule can motivate your employees more and engage with new ideas.

Your task here is to make sure the autonomy stays in the time frame that is aligned with the team's deadlines and planned results to keep the autonomy still aligned to the team's bigger picture. Also, to check how the individual strengths can be used to the team's benefit.

2. Team support.

This is why companies are stronger than individuals - team support is one of the main factors that allow the person to adapt to change quicker, with less stress and bounce back from setbacks quicker.

Lack of team support is one of the main factors why employees leave the company - and it's expensive to the whole team's productivity if they do.

Check if the environment in the team is healthy and encouraging, and find professionals who can help you to create it, if it isn't.

How to know if there is a healthy environment in the team?

One of the best questions that can show you that is - does everyone feel free to share their mistakes and/or challenges in the team? 

If not - it's a great sign this is the aspect you need to work on immediately, because the consequences can be serious, especially in the times of rapid change and ambiguity.

3. Wins vs. losses.

There are people who are motivated by winning (for example - being the TOP of the game), and then there are people motivated by “not losing” something important to them (for example, the existing order and safety).

Get to know which employee is more motivated by which end of the spectrum of this imaginary scale, and communicate the change or tasks accordingly.

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If you need help with change management and employee engagement even in a hybrid team - browse our homepage and see how we can help!