Managing Remote Teams
Remote working has become a normal part of business life for many UK companies. Managing a team you cannot see in person requires different skills, different tools and different habits. Done well, remote working can improve productivity, reduce costs and help you attract talent from a wider pool. Done poorly, it leads to miscommunication, disengagement and isolation. This pathway gives you a practical framework for managing remote teams effectively.
Before your team can work effectively from home, you need to make sure they have what they need: the right equipment, secure access to your systems, and a clear understanding of how remote working will work in your business.
Provide or fund the equipment your team needs to do their job properly. At minimum, this means a reliable computer and a good internet connection. Consider also: a headset for calls, a second monitor, and an ergonomic chair and desk setup. Poor equipment is one of the most common causes of remote working frustration.
Set up secure remote access to your business systems. Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) if your team needs to access sensitive data. Make sure all devices have up-to-date antivirus software and that your team uses strong, unique passwords with two-factor authentication.
Create a remote working policy that sets out: expected working hours, how to communicate, how to report absence, how expenses are handled, and your expectations around availability and response times. This does not need to be long — a clear, practical document of two to three pages is enough.
Good to know
- Provide a home office allowance or equipment loan scheme for remote workers
- Use a password manager across your team to improve security
- Review your remote working policy annually and update it as your team's needs change
Watch out for
- Assuming remote workers have everything they need without asking
- Not having a clear security policy for remote working — home networks are less secure than office networks
- Creating a remote working policy and then ignoring it
Ready for the next step?
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