5 Keys to Leading a Productive Remote Team Without Micromanaging

With the outbreak of a global pandemic, predictions about future shifts to remote work became true seemingly overnight, forcing us all to adapt. 

In the resulting scramble, organizations suddenly faced the daunting question “How do we ensure our team is able to comfortably get work done while staying at home?”

Some managers looked for new ways to ensure their reports were set up for continued productivity while remote. Bloomberg reported a surge in panicked purchases of ‘spy software’ to keep tabs on remote employee activities.  Implementing ‘Big Brother’ levels of micromanaging is no replacement for an authentic culture of accountability that keeps team members focused without feeling smothered.

As remote teams adapt to their own changing situations, the right tools for productivity will be those that focus on results, while providing team members the flexibility to execute within their evolving remote environments. 

Let’s dive into 5 ways teams can use technology while working remotely to maintain focus and productivity without sacrificing the autonomy and privacy rights of their employees. 

1. Recognize Team Accomplishments

Keeping team members focused on the work that moves the business forward while remote means finding ways to celebrate wins and recognize accomplishments in new ways. Replacing quarterly celebrations of achievements may not be at front of mind, but creating a culture of gratitude will be more critical than ever for maintaining team productivity and engagement.  

Tracking achievements in a central location where managers and teammates can offer kudos and recognition goes a long way toward recreating the collegial encouragement we get from the office. At Align, we use a Team Accomplishment Feed in Slack that posts updates when progress is made on Priorities or updates are made to Critical Numbers in the Align system. The team can all see where progress is being made and offer encouragement in real-time. While we can no longer play celebration songs through the office to recognize closed sales, remote team members can still share in the feeling of accomplishment when the team moves forward on major initiatives.

Align Team Accomplishment Feed in Slack

2. Transparently Track Goals

Goals that are neither clearly laid out nor centrally tracked are unlikely to be accomplished in any organization, especially a remote one. The typical in-office strategy sharing that leaders do may be difficult to recreate while remote. Luckily, tools exist to keep organizations focused on the right goals through transparent tracking. Instead of attempting to closely monitor every action of remote team members, organizations can structure work around transparent tracking of the business’s most important outcomes. 

By measuring and tracking goals in a central location, companies can improve execution by 2X over time. Transparent goal tracking works because team members perform better when they understand how their contributions move the broader organization forward. While micromanaging tasks fosters resentment and moves focus to appease managers, effectively managed goals boost team performance by emphasizing the collective impact of individual actions. 

3. Communicate News and Progress Updates Consistently

Communication may be the most critical skill for leaders of remote teams. Leadership must replace the ad-hoc communication of information in the office with honest expectation-setting and consistent opportunities for information transfer. As situations evolve while moving into a post-COVID world, leaders must prioritize communicating accurate, up-to date information across their organization to maintain engagement and productivity.

At Align, we continue to huddle daily as a collective team. Furthermore, we even temporarily held twice daily check-ins to ensure team wellness and project completion as we moved to remote work during a time of rapid change. The frequency of communication depends on how quickly information is changing and can be tailored to the needs of your company. Yet consistent check-ins remain critical for team member productivity and well-being remains critical while adjusting to the emerging “new normal”.

4. Share Short, Medium, and Long Term Plans

As your business adapts to changing market conditions, morale and engagement depend on sharing the most realistic plans for the future as they emerge. At Align, most of the companies we work with have deemphasized annual plans during the COVID disruption to focus on what needs to be done in the next 30, 60, and 90 days to keep the business moving forward. In the most rapidly changing industries, even just setting monthly goals for new initiatives helps structure and prioritize the work team members are doing while remote. 

Keeping plans transparent builds trust within the team and provides the flexibility to update plans in response to emerging trends without losing organizational alignment. During this time of fear and uncertainty, transparent communication of plans by leadership establishes trust and reduces stress on team members. 

5. Set a Daily Focus Everyday

By now, we’ve all heard the advice of setting a daily routine with meditation, exercise, and set working hours. Especially for those with young children or other responsibilities at home, days are rarely so predictable. Staying focused on important tasks amidst the chaos of homeschooling and house management requires clear expectation setting. Setting a Top Priority each and every day, shared publicly with the team, creates focus and accountability on completing the most important task regardless of what (hopefully) metaphorical fires may crop up during the remote work day. Furthermore, setting a top priority means fully committing to the most critical item on the to-do list. Without monitoring every movement of team members, the Top Priority creates purpose every day and holds the entire team accountable for completing the work most critical to business success.  

Tracking Your Daily Top Priority in Align

A Happy Team is a Productive Team

For most businesses, employees are the most essential resource. Their knowledge and efforts keep the wheels turning. The emotional toll of the COVID disruption and worries about the safety and well-being of loved ones are new burdens we all carry into our regular professional roles. With the turn to remote work, it’s no longer an option to escape the chaos and stress of home while at the office.

Employees must be given the freedom to complete priorities on a schedule that fits their individual needs. Micromanaging in response to virtual work only restricts the autonomy employees have and reduces the levels of trust in an organization. Instead, through transparency and honest communication, employees can find ways to stay productive while ensuring the mental and physical well-being of themselves and their families.

While the current crisis strained individuals and companies, emerging into the ‘new normal’ post-COVID will present numerous opportunities for growth and success. Teams with the culture and tools for productivity while remote will be the first to respond to emerging trends and threats and the best positioned to thrive moving forward. 

For more information on how a culture of transparent goal planning can power execution in your business, download our full guide to managing remote teams!