According to a recent study, nearly 37 percent of all project management failures are caused by a lack of clearly defined goals. If you are a project manager, you know all too well how hard it can be to get and keep everyone on the same page.
The job of a project manager can be made even more complicated if they are working with a full staff of remote workers. While remote workers allow a business to take advantage of top talent without geographic limitations, it can be hard for project managers to keep a handle on what these workers are doing.
This is why using tools is so essential. With the right tools, you will be able to easily communicate with remote workers. Utilizing time card apps for construction workers is a great way to help with successful remote team project management. Time cards offer the ability to accurately track employee hours in real-time, with the data being stored off-site in a secure cloud server. This allows supervisors and managers to keep up-to-date records of when employees are working on projects, so they can better plan their time and progress accordingly. It also assists in avoiding unexpected delays in production due to poor time management by workers.
Read below to find out more about remote team project management.
1. Knowing Your Team is Vital
In some cases, project managers will begin to perceive remote workers as just another cog in their machine. Rather than getting this perception, you need to work on getting to know each member of your remote team. When people are given individual attention, it can help significantly with things like employee engagement and productivity.
Generally, remote team members who feel appreciated are willing to go the extra mile. One of the best ways to get up close and personal with a remote employee is by conducting a video chat. This face-to-face interaction can help you get a sense of what motivates your team.
2. Find Ways to Boost Team Morale
Bringing a remote team together can be a bit easier said than done. This is why you will need to work hard on keeping team morale at high levels through the progression of a particular project. The management team a company has in place is directly responsible for creating an environment for employees to thrive in.
Doing things like setting up a reward system for a job well done can do wonders for your remote team’s morale. By celebrating the successes your team has achieved, you can show them you are engaged and interested in what they are doing.
3. Keep the Lines of Communication Open
One of the biggest problems facing remote teams is a lack of communication. If your remote employees feel like they can’t reach out to you when there is a problem, then it is only a matter of time before this becomes a problem. This is why you need to make a point of conducting weekly meetings with your team to both check in on them and track their progress.
Using video chat or instant messaging software is a great way to communicate with remote workers at any time of the day or night. If your remote workers are not engaged, they will usually start to lose interest in the work you have assigned them. While constantly communicating with remote workers can be time-consuming, it is well worth the effort in the long run.
4. Don’t Delay When Problems Arise
Over time, there will undoubtedly be problems with your remote workers. Whether you are dealing with an unproductive employee or a breakdown in communication, finding and fixing these issues in a hurry is a must. The longer you allow these issues to linger, the more problems they will inevitably cause. While no project manager ever wants to come down hard on their team, in some instances it is unavoidable.
Successfully managing a remote team is not easy. As time goes by, you will find a project management style all your own. The key to successful project management is utilizing the power of technology to communicate and delegate tasks to your remote team.
