Growing a remote team can be a tricky task. Especially when we talk about a tech team, it comes with its set of hurdles. Maintaining a healthy culture and promoting team spirit are integral when we talk about building remote development teams. In this article, we shall discuss some tips & techniques to foster a strong culture among the team members. It is important because this would lead to better performance hence better output.
Using The Right Kind Of Tools
There are several tools a team leader can use in order to create a collaborative yet professional environment. When it comes to building a remote tech team, it is essential to have tools that promote communication and team interaction. Zapier has some amazing automation tools. Another example is Trello can be used to stay up-to-date with team progress, project alterations and to set weekly goals.
At Gaper, we have experimented with Zoom, Slack, and Google Meet. The reason being that it makes team members learn about the pros and cons of online tools. For instance, we allocated one for formal meetings whereas the other one for casual discussions. The person in charge should ensure that the best features are utilized.
Roles & Goals Should Be Clear
This is the best way to retain inclusivity when a startup founder wants to hire and evolve a remote development team. The daily schedule, work timings, and meeting slots should be clear in the mind of each and every member. Video-based meetings can prove to be more beneficial as there is a more direct form of interaction.
In a virtual environment, results are considered to be even more important. This is because the team leader is not able to analyze each and every member’s efforts. Therefore, goals should be provided. Every individual should be able to comprehend and follow up on their daily or weekly goals. This can improve efficiency and productivity to a great extent.
Promote Team Building
Along with a serious work ethic, it is integral to start discussions and casual conversations. This can break the ice and create a certain level of comfort among the team members. The tech world can be daunting and nerve-wracking, it is good to get a mental break. This includes the person managing the team as well.
The concept of “water cooler culture” can be applied through this. According to this term, staff members gather around the water cooler to converse, unwind and take some load off their chests. A virtual office environment should also incorporate the same idea. This gets the brain juices flowing. In addition, it can play a major role in allowing employees to connect with each other. Hence, communication gets better which in turn is advantageous for producing better results.
Initiatives Can Be Useful
Building a remote development team can be tiring. However, one should put themselves in the shoes of team members. The tech industry is becoming highly competitive. With this, the demand for quality work is increasing. In order to keep team members motivated, one can reward them. For instance, there can be appreciation awards, gift hampers as well as bonuses.
This would apply to the team member whose work really shines.
In order to keep others interested, there can be contests. Again, this is a learning experience and an opportunity for team members to appreciate the fruit of hard work.
Team members should know they are being checked, appreciated, and encouraged for their work. Offering daybreak could also be a decent idea. Plus, it creates a healthy level of competition. It doesn’t hurt to have some, it keeps the team going and transitioning. Moreover, it produces an optimistic attitude. Thus, this creates a positive environment for the team to flourish.
Conclusion
These strategies are not very complicated. They are built on the principles of increasing productivity, creating employee satisfaction, and keeping work progress consistent. Therefore, assimilating them within the team should not be a very hard task. If you’re considering hiring a remote development team, it is better to keep these in mind. The earlier you take advantage of these methods, the easier it becomes.
At the end of the day, the main goal is to produce quick and amazing results. These methods do have the potential to pave the way for improvement. Ultimately, this can lead to enhanced productivity and more success for all sorts of businesses.
