Leading remote teams with confidence

Leaders are facing new complexities in managing and motivating remote teams from a distance. And it's their HR and L&D colleagues that are expected to deliver support and training on how to build trust, engagement, and cohesion. But leadership at a distance doesn’t have to feel distant.

1. Building trust

Trust can feel slower and harder to establish without in-person moments to build rapport naturally, and managers may worry about productivity. Team members may feel mistrusted or micromanaged. Over time, these assumptions can erode confidence and connection on both sides.

To build a trust-based culture, leaders should:

• Use open and transparent communication: Offer regular check-ins, clear expectations, and transparency about company goals so team members feel more secure. Video calls with cameras on go a long way, too. 
• Be available and approachable: Set virtual office hours, respond to questions quickly, and encourage open lines of communication. Check in regularly—not just when issues arise.
• Nurture autonomy: Encourage your team to take ownership of their work. Letting your employees know you trust them to deliver builds confidence and accountability. 

2. Maintaining team cohesion 

About 53% of people who work from home at least some of the time say it hurts their ability to feel connected with co-workers. When employees feel isolated and disconnected from one another, team cohesion, productivity, and success can all be negatively impacted. 

To maintain cohesion and build strong relationships in a remote environment among employees, be sure to:

• Prioritize regular team meetings: Weekly or bi-weekly video calls help strengthen the human connection. Everyone can check in on work progress and personal well-being. You might even encourage employees to share life updates to connect beyond work projects.
• Make space for informal connections: Host online team-building exercises like virtual coffee chats and online games or encourage sharing book or music recommendations. These activities can strengthen relationships in subtle but meaningful ways.
• Create shared goals: Rally your team around shared, meaningful goals. Everyone working towards the same goal builds a sense of belonging and collaboration.

3. Providing effective feedback 

In a 2022 report, Gallup found that 80% of employees who say they have received meaningful feedback from managers in the past week are fully engaged. 

But, feedback is often easier through quick in-person meetings or stopping by someone’s desk. In the remote world, giving feedback requires more effort to feel personal and timely.

Here’s how to make feedback more consistent and impactful:

• Be clear and specific: When giving feedback, be straightforward about what went well and what could be improved. Use examples and avoid vague language, which can lead to confusion.
• Set recurring project check-ins: Set predictable times to discuss progress, ask questions, and offer guidance. This will allow you to give employees feedback in real time as a project progresses without being overly involved.
• Use video calls for sensitive feedback: Whenever possible, give feedback through video calls. This allows you to convey tone, show empathy, and ask questions to ensure effective remote communication.

4. Supporting career growth

Remote workers sometimes worry that office presence boosts career growth, as in-person staff are more noticeable for new opportunities and resources. Without in-person exposure, they may feel like they’re missing out on growth opportunities or visibility.

To overcome this, address concerns about "out of sight, out of mind" by:

• Mapping out clear development paths: Lay out transparent career pathways with applicable benchmarks that work regardless of physical location.
• Setting regular, structured career development discussions: Schedule quarterly development chats where employees can discuss concerns, ambitions, and next steps.  Career development for remote employees should be visible and fair.
• Celebrating contributions: Highlight your employees' wins, milestones, and growth by highlighting their achievements in company-wide communication.

5. Keeping employees engaged and accountable

With little supervision in a remote environment, employees can easily feel disconnected from the bigger picture or become complacent. Remote leaders need to find ways to keep their teams accountable and engaged.

Here’s how leaders can create clarity and energy:

• Set clear expectations: Use project management tools like Asana, Trello, or monday.com to track tasks and due dates and ensure everyone knows what is expected of them.
  Track progress: Use performance metrics or KPIs to track progress. Set regular check-ins to help team members stay on track and ‌ discuss any challenges.
  Recognize and reward effort: Publicly acknowledge team members who meet or exceed expectations. Praise boosts morale and encourages others.
• Find the balance: While keeping employees engaged and accountable is important, remote doesn’t mean always-on. Encourage breaks, respect time zones, and model healthy boundaries yourself. Managing remote employees well means supporting both productivity and well-being.

Managers can find it challenging to lead remote teams. However, with the right training and learning, any leader can be effective, no matter where employees are. 

Go1 makes it easy to equip your leaders with the skills they need to thrive—from communication and decision-making to team building and conflict resolution. All in one seamless subscription.