Ops in Real Life

In the first episode of our series "Kendall Solves It," we dive into a challenge directly from the community. This week, we're addressing a popular operational issue, where businesses struggle with managing remote teams efficiently.

Community Question (Found on Reddit): "I just hired my first employee. She works remotely but she has worked with me as a contractor in person before. I'm aiming to hire more remote/hybrid employees and I'm wondering for those that manage a team virtually, what best practices have you found to maximize productivity and accountability?"

Kendall's Insightful Analysis and Steps

In this post pandemic world, managing remote teams has proven tricky for numerous businesses, so this employer is not alone. I, too, had difficulty with a previous hybrid/remote worker. In my case, she was not a good fit for my firm, but I needed to take a deeper assessment. It is paramount to ask yourself the following questions before jumping to actionable steps:

• How effective is your vetting process? Not everyone is good candidate for remote work. Implementing steps within the vetting process to weed out those who are not good fits for remote or heavily independent work is a game changer?

  
  

• What does your onboarding process look like?

  
  

• What written processes and procedures do you have? How do you enforce them with your staff? What incentives do you have in place to motive your team?

  
  

• Do you know the learning styles of your team? Establishing a partnership with your team goes a long way. Just as they need accountability of their responsibilities whether remote or in-person, you must prove yourself consistent and accountable to the standards you set.

  
  

When we honestly answer those questions taking a deep look in our business mirror, we can begin filling in gaps of our foundation. Prior to further expanding your team, ensure you have written expectations.

Create an orientation that works for you. Establish team meeting days and team building opportunities. Create your employee evaluations and regularly schedule them. Create a safe space for your staff to provide feedback.

As time goes on, you will likely need to adapt. Utilize the data collected from evaluations and observation to continually improve. My internal team is small, but I meet with my staff multiple times a week, utilize Asana to manage projects, and implement regular employee evaluations. For clients, I implement tools that work best for their needs.

What have been your experiences managing teams? Are there issues you would like to see answered in one of our episodes?

Community-driven solutions are so important to us. My team is committed to addressing real-world problems that impact business operations.

For tailored solutions, consider scheduling an introductory call.