Best Tips For Managing Remote Teams Of Engineers
This article was originally published on Remotebase blog.
Many software engineering organizations consider the ability to work well in a distributed team to be “incredibly competitive.” There are numerous advantages: Managing remote teams provides access to a larger talent pool, increases diversity and inclusiveness, supports valuable workers who are not comfortable working in an office, and allows everyone to work where and how they are most productive.
Managing remote teams of software engineers require three essential components:
1. Communication
First, let’s discuss how remote communication should work in managing remote engineering teams:
Document Everything:
Share team plans, roadmaps, and project updates. This requires writing a lot and making information discoverable for distant workers. Deliberately using asynchronous and synchronous communication for conversations and choices.
Over Communicate:
Leading remote teams requires over-communication. It’s practically inevitable to leave the offshore crew in the dark. Casual office chats may lead to project changes that aren’t instantly transmitted to the offshore team.
Promote Video Conferencing:
Communication technologies have a hierarchy. Video/audio calls/conferences are fast and efficient. Remote work can be done from any place; you don’t need a great workspace. However, you should encourage people to share videos in a comfortable setting.
In addition to communication, team and member feedback are crucial. This needs to happen constantly, perhaps even more than at the office, because it’s harder for team members to see how they’re performing if they’re not in the building.
2. Use Effective Remote Tools
Distributed work tools have developed substantially in recent years. Today’s tools make remote teams powerful. Here are some tips for picking and using tools for your remote team:
Use low-overhead equipment:
A rapid, easy-to-use calling solution like Slack may be better for meetings, especially last-minute conference calls. People should be able to come and exit as needed without joining the wrong gathering. Having an open Slack channel where people can communicate and bond is also helpful. Even remote employees need pals.
Be resourceful:
It makes logical sense to design your own tools for remote engineering teams. Remote teams can benefit from always-connected team rooms. While not meant to support remote workers and scattered teams, they can help them stay connected and involved by sharing the same experiences.
Collaboration/Synchronization:
You can encourage remote collaboration after meetings. It is an excellent approach to operating a project. In a team meeting, you can bounce ideas off each other, plan, and strategize. Take notes so you can act on what’s been said.
3. Culture
If someone is remote, presume everyone is. This approach is crucial for remote team success. Here are some tips:
- Join forces. Everyone — in-office or remote — must be willing to attempt something new. Challenges will arise, but they shouldn’t be deal-breakers.
- Respect start/stop times and time zones. When teams are separated across continents, they may never intersect. If collaboration is vital, have one group arrive early and stay late once or twice a week. Find a compromise that works for everyone.
- Turn-based work and mob-rotations may need cultural adjustments. If everyone is working at a table, clockwise rotation is easy.
- Be aware of glitches. There’s no shame in missing a conference call or having connectivity troubles. If a remote team member has a problem, fix it. Also, pause for remote participation.
- Trust teammates. Trust is crucial to success. The more we feel secure to be ourselves and demand that from our teammates, the better a distributed team can work.
- Always provide a remote option in meeting invitations; don’t make people inquire. Consider attendees’ time zones when scheduling meetings. Use Google Calendar’s secondary time zone setting.
Managing remote teams is misunderstood, especially in engineering. Worker and manager concerns include productivity, team cohesion, and work-life balance. Distributed workforces can avoid these issues with proper communications, tools, and a supportive corporate culture, creating more effective software teams. If this seems challenging to you, Remotebase has got your back!
Remotebase helps companies build the most suitable engineering team within 24 hours consisting of the top 1% of global developers. We have evolved the traditional hiring process and made it more quick and efficient through our rigorous vetting process and pre-hired developers. With our 2-week trial, you can experience the expertise of our developers without paying anything for two weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it take to manage remote engineering team?
Managing remote teams requires a cohesive team culture that values experimentation, individual autonomy, knowledge sharing, and common goals.
What makes a good team leader in a remote engineering team?
Leaders should prioritize clarity. In engineering, clarity means setting expectations for project deliverables and knowing which projects are blocked. It requires frequent, specific feedback from teammates.
What does a high performing remote engineering team look like?
Focused teams succeed. Everyone has a shared vision and knows what to do. Every member of the team is dedicated to the mission.
