We took a look at this topic a couple of years ago, but now it’s time to chat about communicating with remote teams in 2022. When remote work became the norm in 2020 it took us all by storm, but now this has been our day-to-day for nearly two and half years. So what have we learned, and what tools can we use to keep team communication running smoothly when a team is fully, or even partially, remote? Whether you’re Zooming, Meeting, or Slacking, there’s a lot that goes into staying on track and in contact while communicating with remote and hybrid teams.
Managing a team without micromanaging:
This is still just as important in 2022 as it was in 2020. As a manager, it’s your job to lead your team and build trust with them. By now we are no strangers to working from home with kids, fur babies, spouses, and roommates roaming around. You might even hear a random microwave beep on a phone call, and that’s okay!
It’s important to avoid micromanaging, but it’s equally important to avoid a completely hands-off approach. Remember to check in with your team. Ask how they’re doing. See if there’s anything they need help with. This goes a long way in maintaining a positive team culture in a remote setting.
We’ve found that a daily kickoff followed by an end-of-day wrap-up is a great way to keep everyone on the same page. Not only does it help us understand who was working on what client, ask questions, and share company updates with our manager, but it also offers an opportunity for the team to see each other’s faces, share wins, and bounce ideas off each other just like we would if we were in office.
Deadlines are still important:
Working from home doesn’t equate to a lack of structure, but working remotely can also be a confusing time for employees and managers. As a manager, you want to know if employees are completing their tasks, helping clients, and hitting deadlines. If your team is struggling to meet deadlines, ask them why.
Chances are, someone might need help with a task, or they might be taking care of a personal situation. Offer employees resources and enlist the help of another team member to assist with tasks. The important thing is to understand what’s going on from every level of your company so that you can divide and conquer projects. If we’ve learned anything in the past two years, it’s that things happen, but communicating openly with your team is the best way to avoid missed deadlines and burnout.
Over-communication is key:
Don’t be afraid to give someone a call or pull them in for a quick huddle on Slack! We all know emails, texts, and DMs can be so easily misconstrued. Chats are traditionally a form of digital short-hand communication, so we tend to abbreviate, use acronyms, and write in a way where we assume the other person knows what we’re talking about.
Sending a mile-long email can be redundant or extraneous when information can be more quickly and effectively relayed through a call. I don’t know how many times I’ve sent a lengthy email to my manager, trying to cram all the details in, in a way that makes sense, but they just end up calling me for clarification. I’ve learned that just picking up the phone is so much easier, plus it helps me connect with my colleagues and see how their day is going!
Educate your team on client communications too. Every email, live chat, phone call, and ticket request should be clear in case another member of the team needs to jump in at any point. Clear documentation is critical to reference projects and client requests.
Tools that work for communicating with remote teams in 2022:
Some of our favorite tools for communicating with remote teams include:
- Slack / Slack Pro
- Keep in touch with everyone
- Share success stories
- Slack can help you stay updated on company news, ask questions, hop into fun channels to share memes, and connect as a team. We have a specific channel for shouting out wins and it’s one of our most used channels.
- Upgrading to Slack Pro gives you access to the huddle feature which allows you to quickly voice or video chat with team members without having to set up a meeting or get a link.
- Zoom / Microsoft Teams
- Schedule client video calls and candidate interviews
- Google Drive / OneDrive
- Keep company files organized and easy to access
- Shared files help teammates collaborate on documents, spreadsheets, photos, and more
- Asana / Notion
- Stay on track with deadlines
- Create a content calendar
- Tag team members to send a notification
Check out our full list of technology tools for working remotely.
Want to build the remote team of your dreams?
We’ve been working remotely and hybridly for two years now and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere, so in order to maintain company efficiency remember to use these tools, programs, and tips to keep everyone on the same page when communicating with remote teams in 2022.
If you’re ready to grow your remote team, we’ve got you covered! Tell us what your goals are, and what positions you’re looking to fill, and we’ll take care of the rest. Contact us today to help grow your team.
