Are you making these remote work management mistakes? Stop now! 🛑

Some managers believe remote work won't succeed. And that’s often a reflection of their own inability to adapt rather than a flaw in remote work itself. Are you one of them?

I’ve managed a fully-remote team for nearly 10 years. I’ve had my fair share of failures and learnings which helped me build a pretty robust attitude towards this setup.

And it pains me to see many businesses take the practices and processes of in-office work and apply them to remote work. This approach is fundamentally flawed and they are doomed to fail completely.

Remote work is a different beast; you can't simply copy-paste what you've been doing in the office.

So, why do you fail to make remote teamwork successful? Here’s my two cents!

This article is also available as a video on our YouTube channel:

1. Your communication practices suck

In the office, communication is immediate and personal. If someone doesn’t understand something, they can just walk over to a colleague and ask. While this might seem efficient, it often leads to constant interruptions, reducing overall productivity.

In a remote setting, communication should be organized. Instead of sporadic calls for every minor issue, establish clear communication processes.

In my experience, 90% of the calls can be effectively replaced by clear goals and instructions, a clear collaboration & communication process, and a well-set progress management process. Calls are only helpful when they have a strict agenda to kickstart or finalize a process.

2. Your management style is disorganized

Organization is crucial in remote work. You need better processes and organization than you would in an office environment. Your team should know exactly who is responsible for what, where to find resources, and what the deadlines are. In a remote setting, defining these flows is essential for success. And if they’re lacking, it shows up pretty quickly.

3. You don’t plan ahead

Planning ahead is vital if you want to keep your team sane and productive. Last-minute tasks can be disastrous but with proper planning, you will have a margin of safety for the odd last-minute adventure. If you need to deliver a task by May 30th, aim to complete it 1 to 3 weeks earlier to avoid last-minute chaos, mistakes, and delays.

4. You left your “Task and Time Management Skills” in your resume

These are not fashionable terms you use only to get the job. Effective task management is about breaking down goals into actionable steps. If you don’t provide clear tasks and resources for them, your team will struggle.

And if you frequently change strategies without clear communication, your team will become chaotic and unproductive. Just like you.

5. Finally, are you hiring the right people?

Not everyone thrives in a remote environment. Some individuals may struggle with time management or following processes if they don’t have an in-person direction. Some feel better surrounded by colleagues. And yes, some are simply slackers.

Remote work demands stronger management skills from leaders and better productivity skills from employees. Everyone must contribute positively for the team to succeed. The good news is that most people can learn to be good remote workers.

Here’s what you can do:

• Evaluate your communication: Review how your team communicates remotely. Are there unnecessary calls? Shift towards written communication and documentation.

• Organize your processes: Ensure that all SOPs are documented clearly and accessible through a centralized platform like a Wiki. Make sure processes are actually followed.

• Enhance planning: Start planning tasks well in advance with built-in time margins for unexpected issues.

• Assess team readiness: Evaluate if your team members have the necessary skills for remote work success. Provide training if needed.

• Encourage accountability: Build an environment where everyone understands their roles and responsibilities clearly.

Stay tuned for my next blog posts and videos in which I’ll explore all of these talking points in detail.

And don’t forget to take a look at the section below - there’s a treat for you and your business!