Remote Team: Key Strategies for Achieving High Performance Success

Did you know that being able to work remotely is the top reason why Millennials stay with an organization? It's true. And being part of gardenpatch has allowed me to do just that.

Benefits of Having a Remote Team

Remote work, also known as telecommuting, is a way of working where employees perform their duties outside of a traditional office setting. This can take different forms, such as working from home full-time, working from a different location a few days a week, or even working while traveling.

The popularity of remote work has been on the rise in recent years, with more and more companies adopting this flexible working model. A study by Stanford University in 2015 found that remote workers were more productive and had lower attrition rates than their office-based counterparts. Additionally, the number of companies allowing remote work has increased over the years, with 66% of companies in the United States allowing their employees to work remotely and 16% being fully remote.

Remote work offers many benefits, including increased autonomy and flexibility for employees, as well as cost savings for businesses. It also allows for a more diverse and inclusive workforce, as it removes the constraints of geographical location. However, remote work does come with its challenges, such as maintaining effective communication and collaboration among team members. Experts have shared tips on how to overcome these challenges and be successful while working remotely.

1. Less Time Spent Commuting

Remote work offers many benefits, one of which is the ability to save time and money on commuting. The average person spends 54 hours a year stuck in traffic. That's two and a half days of wasted time that could be spent on more productive or enjoyable activities. And let's not forget the cost savings on gas. By working remotely, you can save money on transportation expenses and use that money on other things that matter to you.

Another advantage of remote work is the increased flexibility it offers. With remote work, you can set your own schedule and work from wherever you want. This allows you to be more in control of your time and your life, and can help improve work-life balance.

There are also environmental benefits to remote work. By reducing the number of people commuting to and from work, remote work can help reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. This can help create a more sustainable world for future generations.

Overall, remote work offers many advantages over traditional office-based work. It can save you time, money, and stress, and can help you live a more fulfilling and balanced life.

2. Decreased Turnover

Remote work can lead to improved job satisfaction and reduced turnover for employees. A survey found that 73% of remote workers reported higher satisfaction with their jobs, compared to only 51% of in-office workers. In addition, 53% of remote workers in the U.S. said they were not considering leaving their jobs in the next year, compared to only 46% of in-office workers.

These statistics show that employees are willing to stay with organizations that offer flexible work options. In fact, 81% of employees said they would be more loyal to employers that offer remote work options. This is supported by the fact that 95% of employers reported that remote work has had a major impact on their employee retention. Furthermore, 39% of employees have either not taken a new job or have quit a job due to inflexible work options.

Overall, offering remote work options can be beneficial for both employees and employers. It can:

• Improve job satisfaction
• Reduce turnover
• Improve employee loyalty.

3. Increased Productivity

Remote work can lead to increased productivity for employees. A recent study found that 53% of remote workers are willing to work overtime, compared to only 28% of on-site workers. This shows that remote workers are more motivated and engaged in their work.

The study also found that 45% of remote workers reported that they are able to work smarter and get more done in less time. This is likely due to the fact that 44% of remote workers said they are less distracted and able to accomplish more when working from home.

Additionally, 90% of managers reported that employees are more productive when given the flexibility to choose when and how they work. This suggests that remote work can be a win-win situation for both employees and employers. Employees are able to work in a way that is most conducive to their productivity, and employers benefit from the increased output of their employees.

4. Increased Access to Top Talent

Remote work can be an effective way to attract top talent to your company. Hiring local talent can be limiting, but when you are open to employing remote workers, you have access to a global pool of talented individuals.

A survey found that over 70% of employees say the ability to work remotely will be important in choosing their next job. This is especially true for Millennials, who rate flexible work arrangements as having a high impact on job satisfaction. In fact, 36% of employees said they would choose remote work options over a raise.

These statistics show that remote work is not only a good option for companies, but also for employees. If you are considering implementing a remote work policy, here are a few tips to help make it successful:

1. Clearly communicate expectations and goals for remote workers.
2. Use technology to facilitate communication and collaboration among team members.
3. Provide support and resources to help remote workers be successful.
4. Trust your employees to work independently and hold them accountable for their work.

By following these tips, you can create a functional, successful, and positive remote work environment.

Tips For Being A Successful Remote Team

2. Train Your People

"An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”―Benjamin Franklin

Employees, whether remote or in-office, are increasingly requesting training to improve their skills and knowledge. Training can have numerous benefits for both employees and employers. It can improve employee retention, as research shows that 40% of employees who don't receive the necessary job training will leave their positions within the first year.

Training can also increase employee engagement, which can lead to improved performance and productivity. In fact, a Dale Carnegie survey found that companies with engaged employees outperform those without by up to 202%.

Remote workers are particularly in need of training, with 67% saying they need more work-related training. To meet this need, many remote workers are turning to online learning. In fact, 85% of remote workers receive their training online, with 50% taking online courses, 22% using their mobile phones to learn, and 13% attending webinars. Overall, providing training to remote workers can be an effective way to improve their skills and engagement.

3. Reinforce The Good Communication

Effective communication is essential for remote teams to be successful. This is because good communication is necessary for bringing ideas to life, maintaining accountability, ensuring that everyone feels heard, and meeting deadlines. At gardenpatch, we use several different tools to facilitate communication among our team members.

For instant communication, we use Slack as one of our remote team solutions. This allows us to have real-time conversations and share important information quickly. For project management, we use Notion to keep track of current and upcoming projects and to communicate with team members and partners.

We also use Zoom for video calls, both within the team and for client-facing meetings. Vidyard is useful for recording video and sharing screens. And for cloud storage and document sharing, we use Google Drive.

Overall, using the right tools and fostering strong communication among team members is essential for the success of remote teams.

4. Be clear about roles and accountabilities

Any employee will perform their duties correctly if they know exactly what is requested of them. 

Being ambiguous about what is expected from a person’s role will only lead to confusion and, therefore, low employee retention rates. 

This also applies to remote workers. Because this model has so much autonomy, it is crucial that everyone in the team knows exactly what is requested of them. 

This is the only way in which they will know how to prioritize correctly and deliver projects and assets on time.

5. Use the help of project management tools

Project management tools are essential for keeping track of projects and tasks in an organized way. When our team implemented a project management tool, it was life-changing. It allowed us to stay on top of all our tasks and projects and ensured that everything was completed on time.

According to this article, the top five most used and requested features in project management software are file sharing, time tracking, email integration, Gantt charts, and budget management. These features allow teams to collaborate, track their progress, and stay on budget.

Overall, using a project management tool can greatly improve the efficiency and productivity of a team, whether it is working remotely or in an office. It is an essential tool for ensuring the success of a team.

6. Encourage moments to connect as a team

Having friends at work is essential for long-term happiness and job satisfaction and can boost remote team productivity. In fact, according to a study, 70% of employees say that friends at work are the most crucial element to a happy working life. Furthermore, 58% of men would refuse a higher-paying job if it meant not getting along with their co-workers.

At gardenpatch, we have implemented weekly meetings to help foster friendship and camaraderie among team members. These meetings, called Weekly What's-Ups and Weekly Wrap-Ups, are an opportunity for the entire team to come together and talk about their week, share challenges and accomplishments, and discuss areas for improvement, in effect promoting remote team communication. Sometimes, we even play online team-building games.

Overall, fostering friendships among team members is critical for creating a positive work environment and improving job satisfaction. It is an important aspect of remote work and should not be overlooked.

In addition to fostering strong friendships among team members at gardenpatch, we also prioritize creating a caring and supportive work environment. One way we do this is by starting each day with a simple message of gratitude in our work chat, accompanied by a thumb up or thumb down, depending on our mood.

If someone posts a thumbs down, indicating that they are not feeling their best, a team member will reach out to offer support and create a space for a quick chat about their personal life. This simple gesture shows that we care about each other as individuals and not just as co-workers.

These moments of connection and support are incredibly motivating and help to foster a positive and productive work environment. As a result, we are better able to work together as a team and achieve our goals.

Conclusion

Remote work offers many benefits for both companies and employees. It allows for increased productivity, higher job satisfaction, and a better work-life balance. In addition, it allows companies to attract top talent from around the world and reduces turnover rates.

To make remote work successful, it's important to carefully choose team members who have strong organizational habits, excellent communication skills, and the ability to make informed decisions without constant supervision. Training and the use of project management tools can also help ensure that remote teams are effective and productive.

At gardenpatch, we have implemented a number of strategies to make our remote team successful. These include regular communication through Slack and Zoom, the use of Monday.com for project management, and encouraging strong work friendships through weekly check-ins and daily "good morning" messages.

Overall, remote work can be a great option for companies and employees with the right approach and tools in place.

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