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Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic took the world by storm, companies and firms have begun to rely on the work-from-home concept. Although a remote work environment is convenient and cost-friendly, it has certain drawbacks. One of them is that managing a remote professional circle can be challenging, especially if you have opted for offshore outsourcing. Having team members in a completely different time zone can create issues when it comes to organizing online conferences and meeting deadlines. In that case, it’s best to opt for nearshore outsourcing, so communication between team members is more manageable, as everyone's time zones will be similar. This article will give you more valuable insight into how to manage a remote development team.
How To Best Manage A Remote Development Team
Don’t Compromise on Work-Related Tools and Software
Investing in the best and top-notch remote management and communication tools is key to managing remote developers well and allowing them to function efficiently as a team. Tools such as Zoom, Slack, Github, and Google Drive promote a quick and smooth workflow. Most of these tools are free for use but if your company requires the pro versions or other paid tools, do not hesitate to invest, as achieving a productive remote work environment is impossible with troublesome and lagging software.
Know The Importance of Communication
Collaboration over calls instead of mere emails should be considered. Not only does this add a more humanistic touch to remote working, but face-to-face conferences also help foster harmony and cooperation in the team. This helps in keeping team members optimistic and helps in achieving company objectives. To avoid confusion and errors, it is essential to provide clear and detailed guidelines for the project to the remote developers. The team can also internally collaborate with each other by sharing their daily reports so they know what was done today, what is on the agenda for tomorrow, and what troubles they may be experiencing. These communication improvements can also be done through different project management softwares for remote teams.
Professionalism is Essential
Although having a friendly and fun work environment is ideal and has many benefits, make sure professionalism is maintained. The team members should know that not meeting deadlines, poor work performance, and misbehavior with colleagues will lead to consequences. Keep track of each remote worker’s performance and ensure that they are working as per their schedule and maintaining quality in work.
Task Pipeline and Stages
Managing a remote development team can come with challenges, such as delays in the flow of work, due to errors. A great strategy to tackle this challenge is dividing the project stages into multiple tasks in the remote development team’s pipelines. In case of disruption with one task, the team can work on another task while the cause of the error on the initial task is analyzed. This prevents the break of workflow and keeps the project ongoing. A proper division of a project into multiple tasks gives a clear and concise overview of the development process, which in turn increases productivity.
Keep Your Team Motivated
If you’re wondering why software developers leave your company, team morale and motivation might be at the root of the issue. It may be challenging to manage a remote development team, but the outcomes are outstanding when there is good teamwork and collaboration. Rewarding your team members when they outdo themselves by complimenting their performance and, at times, even by granting bonuses. When a milestone is completed or the team performs very well, sending appreciative gifts such as travel mugs, laptop bags, and customized pens can uplift the remote team member’s morale.
Evaluate Developer Performance
When working in a remote environment, keeping an eye on the team’s performance to ensure maximum productivity can be challenging. The team leader or the manager has to put in extra effort to observe and keep track of each member's performance. This can be done by using several remote performance tracker tools. This allows you to help out a specific team member or guide point any issues that need to be addressed. To best manage a remote development team, you can then meet with each member on a video call to discuss the issues and collaborate with them in order to derive the right solution.
Newsletters That Keep Everyone Connected
Working as a part of a remote development team means having no in-house time with employees at the firm. To connect the team with the company, leaders can craft weekly newsletters through which the team can stay up to date with the company’s changing strategies, objectives, crucial news, etc. Sending out informative resources and tips such as podcast recommendations, along with discussing team milestones, in the form of weekly emails is a great way to keep the team connected and informed. This can also allow you to keep the team members updated with related new skills and updates. Keeping the team connected and reminding them of the company’s goals is a crucial strategy for boosting work performance.
Why should you choose Blue Coding to build a remote development team?
At Blue Coding, we aim to provide the best IT services to clients. We specialize in nearshore outsourcing in Latin America and have a team of highly skilled developers and IT service providers. Blue Coding is the ultimate IT solutions provider, whether for IT staff augmentation or to hire remote developers for a project. With us, the safety of your company data and intellectual property is guaranteed, and our experts are available on call 24/7. Contact us now to learn more about our nearshore custom software development services!
