How to Manage Remote Engineering Teams Effectively

Remote work is the future of work.

We live in the era of digital transformation where remote engineering teams are no longer an exception but a standard. A mere glance at recent history reveals the prevalence of remote work. The roots of remote work stretch back to 1973 when physicist Jack Nilles worked remotely on a NASA telecommunications system, setting the stage for the increasingly remote workforce we see today.

All-Remote vs Hybrid Teams

The diverse world of remote work presents two predominant engineering team structures:

1. Distributed team or hybrid model. In this model, we split the engineering team between remote and physical workspaces. While some engineers work remotely, others work in a shared office environment. For more information, I made a comprehensive guide, “Should I hire remote engineers?” Here, I advocate for the hub and spoke model. The core engineering team at the main office or headquarters (HQ) manages the work for the remote engineers or teams. HQ engineers work on the core product. Remote engineers work on well-defined, isolated projects with the hub or local peers. This design eliminates redundant communication and management overhead.
2. Fully remote or all-remote model. This reminds me of working on open-source projects in high school when I still had free time. Somehow, hundreds of volunteers worked together well. This model was so familiar to me that in 2004, when I founded my first successful company, I made it 100% fully remote. But what makes this format worth considering? Let’s explore that in the next section.

Why Should I Build a Remote Engineering Team?

Besides increased flexibility, the benefits of a fully remote workforce quickly become clear:

1. Access to a wider and more diverse talent pool. You can hire the best software engineers, regardless of their location, promoting diversity and inclusion.
2. Reduced costs and environmental impact. You stand to save on office space, utilities, and travel expenses, while also diminishing your carbon footprint.
3. Increased productivity and performance. Remote engineers often exhibit higher productivity as they save on commute time and can work in environments they are most comfortable in.
4. Improved employee well-being and retention. The flexibility and comfort of remote work can enhance overall job satisfaction, leading to improved employee retention.

Of course, there are challenges when managing a remote workforce, including hiring, and retaining talent capable of remote work and creating an engaging company culture without a physical location to work from. Still deciding if you should hire remote engineers or not? Check out my article on the pros and cons of hiring remote software engineers.

How Can I Recruit Remote Software Engineers?

Remote engineering teams require careful hiring and management. When hiring remote workers, it’s important to conduct rigorous interviews and assessments to evaluate the candidate’s remote readiness and self-discipline. Regular, active participation in meetings and prompt responses on communication channels are vital signs of a committed remote worker.

Here are some tips to help you build a successful remote engineering team:

1. Find the right people for your team. Look for candidates who have the skills, experience, and attitude that match your company culture. Need help with this? This is exactly what we do at Hyperion360, contact us if you want help you with this step.
2. Interview and evaluate your candidates. Use multiple interviews and assessments to check their technical knowledge and their ability to work remotely. Look for signs of self-discipline, engagement, and communication skills.
3. Streamline your onboarding process. A quick and easy onboarding process helps ensure engineers understand their role, your organization, and your culture. Make new hires feel welcome and comfortable in your company by making sure they have access to everything they need to get their work done before they start. Be sure to explain their role, expectations, and goals clearly so that they understand how to do a good job.
4. Invest in your team. Provide them with learning opportunities and feedback to help them grow and improve. Encourage them to collaborate and share their ideas and best practices.

What Are Some Tips for Managing a Remote Engineering Team?

1. Establish a primary communication channel. Use an asynchronous communication tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangouts. Establish one of these as the primary platform for discussion to align everyone in the organization. For dealing with tickets, stories, or issues, do it directly in GitHub or use project management software like Asana, Trello, or Jira.
2. Synchronize calendars. Implement a unified calendar system, like Google Calendar, to organize team schedules.
3. Set achievable goals. Assign tasks and projects with clear timelines and realistic due dates to ensure your team’s goals are attainable.
4. Consistent daily check-ins. Establish structured daily calls with your team members. The calls — either one-on-one or as a team — should be regular, predictable, and serve as a platform where your team feels heard and can raise questions or concerns. Use these calls to demo in-progress work and make sure everyone is on the same page.
5. Hold regular one-on-ones. Maintain an open virtual door for regular communication. Even remotely, mentoring, and pairing sessions are not only workable, but can also be a productive means of socialization.
6. Prioritize documentation. In a fully remote or globally distributed setting, written clarity of thoughts is crucial. Documenting discussions enables the conversation to continue even when all participants aren’t simultaneously online. Write clear and detailed requirements and limit synchronous meetings like video or voice calls. If you must have these, record, and archive transcripts in a shared knowledge base like Confluence, so there’s no lost context.
7. Cultivate social interactions. Facilitate relationship-building through virtual meetings and social chatrooms to keep your team socially connected.
8. Moderate virtual team meetings. Get direct feedback. Not everyone is comfortable voicing opinions in a group, so ensure every voice has time to be heard.
9. Preserve routine and team rituals. Assess existing office routines and team rituals and change them to fit your remote work setup.
10. Promote mentoring and pairing sessions. Encourage team members to arrange work sessions in pairs or small groups. If a team member is tackling a challenging task, motivate them to pair up with a colleague.

What Are Some Tips to Make Working from Home More Effective?

1. Create a comfortable home office. Identify a distraction-free zone with a flat work surface to set up your home office. It could be a tabletop, a kitchen counter, or even a coffee table.

2. Use ergonomic furniture. Enhance your workspace with ergonomic and adjustable elements, such as a standing desk and an office chair. This will help mitigate back pain, improve your posture, and promote activity. Autonomous and Uplift both make great standing desks and Aeron is my choice for office chairs, but if you don’t want to shell out that much Ikea has functional desk and office chair options at a more affordable price.

3. Seek natural light. Position your workspace close to a window or a natural light source to remain energized, connected to the outdoors, and to prevent eyestrain.

4. Green it up. Introduce plants into your workspace. They purify the air, mitigate stress, and uplift mood. Check out my friend’s company 36Vine for some great natural home decor options.

5. Organize your workspace. Keep your workspace clutter-free. Use storage solutions, cable management tools, and desk accessories to ensure everything stays in place.

6. Personalize your workspace. Decorate your workspace with items that reflect your style and personality. It could be photos, art pieces, motivational quotes, or anything that brings you joy.

7. Invest in comfortable noise cancelling headphones. High-quality, comfortable, noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds can block ambient noise and help enhance focus. Use music or ambient sounds to foster a pleasant work atmosphere. I love my Bose QuietComfort headphones (I can wear them comfortably for a few hours at a time) and my Apple AirPod Pros if I’m on the go.

8. Establish clear boundaries. Share your work schedule with your family or roommates to limit interruptions and uphold work-life balance.

9. Adhere to a work schedule. I like to carve out blocks of time for uninterrupted work and hold regular office hours for impromptu meetings outside of scheduled sessions.

10. Take regular breaks. Take regular breaks to stretch and prevent fatigue, boredom, and stiffness. You can use a timer or an app to remind you when to take a break. MacBreakZ is a useful for this.

11. Celebrate small wins. Celebrate the completion of small features or other tasks. This practice motivates you to work harder and meet your goals.

Implementing these tips will help create an ideal home workspace tailored to your needs and preferences. By doing so, you can leverage the benefits of remote work without compromising on productivity or wellness.

What if I Struggle to Transition to the Remote Work Model?

Many companies have struggled with the transition to remote work. Take IBM, a notable early adopter of remote work. According to Quartz, 40% of IBM’s 386,000 global employees worked remotely by 2009. This setup cut their office space by 78 million square feet and saved about $100 million annually. However, in 2017, IBM summoned a part of its remote workforce back to the office. They’re not alone — companies like StatusPage, Yahoo, Best Buy, and Reddit also reversed previous work from home (WFH) policies in the past.

Companies looking to start or expand remote work must manage the transition delicately. This process can be challenging, especially for larger, older companies, because of the need to adapt more processes and people.

When venturing into remote work, I suggest a gradual approach. Begin by allowing engineers the choice to work remotely a few days each week. This strategy will probably highlight the capabilities of your engineers to perform remotely, dispelling uncertainties surrounding the effectiveness of remote work. It eases employees into the concept of working remotely, helping them discover the optimal methods to fulfill their tasks without daily commutes.

In my experience with distributed or all-remote teams, I’ve observed that people naturally reach out to one another, regardless of the level of structure. That said, it’s still important to have shared vision and direction for your team to make sure that everyone is working in sync and things flow smoothly.

When I launched Hyperion360 in 2009 as a 100% remote company, some of our larger clients swayed us towards a hybrid or distributed model. The model meshed better with their culture then, but now, those same clients have fully transitioned to remote work. Although remote work is deeply embedded in our company culture, we understand some people prefer in-person interactions. Therefore, for some, a hybrid or distributed model may be more appealing. Most companies I’ve worked with either follow a globally distributed model or are fully remote.

Navigating the remote work landscape can be challenging, but it’s an adventure worth undertaking. At Hyperion360, we’ve embedded remote work in our DNA, and we’re dedicated to helping businesses master this transition. Our long-term remote global staffing services help guide your team through the process, offering tailored strategies that align with your company’s culture, promote collaboration, and boost productivity. With our support, you can turn the remote work challenge into an opportunity, reaping the benefits of a truly flexible, global, and innovative workforce.

Want to hire vetted remote software engineers and other technical talent? Hyperion360 builds world-class engineering teams for Fortune 500 companies and top startups.