The systems and processes you put around managing your remote team will have a huge impact on your business’ future. If you take the time to build effective processes that revolve around training, communication and expectations, it won’t be long before your team are firing on all cylinders.

Manage expectations

Outsourcing works best when everyone from management through to the new remote staff are on the same page. If expectations and standards vary between your two offices you can find yourself running into problems.

To ensure your remote team produces real, tangible results that drive success, the best thing you can do is set clear guidelines. Whether it is for workload or performance standards, setting these guidelines will guarantee both offices are striving towards a common goal.

Building a team with Deployed is a great way to push your business forward. However, when working with a remote team, just like any employee, failure to clearly communicate your expectations and their core role, may result in struggles.  

Don’t forget about them

Although they are in another country, it is vital that you treat your team as an extension of your local office. Doing so means that your remote team are as aligned and close to your local operation as they can be!

This doesn’t mean you need to set up a webcam that runs 24/7 but it does mean they should be included in all major internal communication. Beside from the obvious reasons, such as training, work progress and staff updates, they will greatly appreciate the effort made to keep them in the loop.

So next time you send out an internal EDM or send a light-hearted group email or slack message, don’t forget about them.

Training must be a priority

The time you invest in providing comprehensive and ongoing training for your remote team will have a huge impact on the results they produce. It is not enough to just hand them a training guide, company handbook and a two-hour webinar on their first day.

Your training methods and material should be one of the first things you think of when you decide to outsource with us. Take the time to create training material that will clearly outline the company’ culture, what their roles are and realistic expectations. It is also wise, especially in the early stages, to hold regular training sessions with new staff.

As your remote team grows and leaders emerge, you can pass on some of the training responsibilities. But, you will need a clear process for both initial and ongoing training for your staff.

Meet regularly

To ensure work is progressing efficiently and everyone is engaged, scheduling regular meetings is vital. Firstly, it will allow both offices to work productively on tasks together. Making it easier to pass on briefs, discuss projects and ensures all employees are on the same page.

Secondly, it encourages interaction between your two offices. Breaking down the distance barrier by having regular face-to-face meetings will help your employees get to know each other a lot better and build relationships.

With programs like Skype and Google Hangouts, facilitating regular meetings has never been easier!

Understand communication styles  

While, Filipino employees are well versed in both English written and verbal communication, there are still some cultural differences in how they communicate.

For effective communication between your local and remote team, your employees should be aware of the stylistic differences. For example, Filipino employees are generally very indirect and shy, and will often say ‘yes’ even if they do not fully understand.

To avoid confusion and miscommunication, which could impact a project, it is wise to double check that your team understand a brief or task.

Building a remote team here in the Philippines is a great avenue for Australian and New Zealand businesses, who are looking to take the next step. However, building and moulding your remote team does take active involvement from you as the leader, just as you would build your team locally. When you master this, your business is in for a bright future.

If you would like to discover how Deployed can help grow your business, contact us today.