How To Work Remotely Without Going Crazy

Remote teams are becoming the norm since the global pandemic.

If you want your company to appeal to the brightest most tech-savvy Gen Z and Millennials, you can’t expect them to be in the office 5 times a week.

According to industry experts, a large number of 36.2 million Americans are expected to work remotely by 2025.

Yet approximately 53% of remote workers find it difficult to feel connected with their coworkers.

Working remotely can bring flexibility and convenience, but it also presents challenges that, if not addressed, can lead to feelings of isolation and burnout.

So what should you do to not go completely mental spending 24/7 in your own company:

1. Ensure you have the right work setup

Your employer needs to provide you with an ergonomic and comfortable work station:

• Equipment (laptop, phone, software, table, internet connection, chair) – Focus on creating a comfortable, productive space with ergonomic furniture and well-positioned computer screens.

• Flexible workspaces – ask your employer if they have flexible workspaces in your city/town that you can attend time to time to get away from home. If your employer doesn’t have this option, consider getting them to sponsor a space in a co-working hub. This would also provide a great opportunity to socialise with other staff in your company.

2. Invest in effective team management software

A good remote team management software helps you and your team members stay organised, connected, and productive, even when you’re all working from different locations.

Here are some essential features that make remote team management software valuable:

Task Management: It should help you assign, track, and organize tasks easily so everyone knows what to do.

Communication tools: You’ll want built-in chat, and messaging to keep your team connected.

Time tracking: It should let you monitor how much time team members spend on tasks and projects.

Project management: The software should help you plan, execute, and monitor projects from start to finish.

File sharing: Make sure it allows easy sharing and access to important documents and files.

Collaboration features: It should support teamwork, letting your team work together on tasks and projects.

Security: It should keep your data safe and provide access control. Phishing is particularly dangerous because it often appears legitimate, making it one of the most prevalent methods of cybercrime. To combat phishing, remote workers need to be educated about the signs of a phishing attempt, such as unsolicited requests for personal information, suspicious email addresses, and urgent or threatening language.

Scalability: It should work well as your team grows, without causing performance issues.

3. Conduct regular check-ins with your team and a manager

Regular check-ins are important because they allow you to understand the progress of project. You need to make sure everyone is remaining productive and meeting deadlines.

Set clear expectations and have consistent check-ins with employees.

You can also use time tracking tools like Toggl or Time Doctor to monitor employee productivity throughout the day. 

4. Make time for team building

Better communication also means positive human interactions.

Think ‘water cooler chats’ and ‘after work activities’. For remote teams it can mean:

• Regular virtual trivia nights
• Virtual happy hour with a themed tipple each week
• Video coffee dates – including across teams to encourage non-work-related chat

It can be easy to forget about team building when everyone is working remotely.

But positive vibes is actually one of the most important aspects of running a successful remote company.

Regular team-building activities can help build relationships between teams, boost morale, and keep everyone motivated.

These small actions can boost productivity, regardless of an employee’s location.

Employees’ wellbeing should be employer’s No.1 priority.

5. Define a clear meeting agenda and individual responsibilities

Remote workers (and especially managers) need to be extra organised and clear in their communications.

Every remote meeting should have a well-defined purpose.

Before scheduling the meeting, outline what you intend to accomplish.

An agenda acts as a roadmap for the meeting. It outlines topics to be discussed, time allocated for each item, and responsible participants.

Distribute the agenda before the meeting to allow participants to come prepared and contribute meaningfully.

Clear objectives provide direction and help participants understand the importance of their presence.

Invite only those individuals whose input is necessary for achieving the meeting’s objectives.

Clearly defining roles enhances meeting efficiency.

To keep the meeting short and sweet, set a timer before the meeting starts and make sure you stick to your allotted time so everyone can get back to their other tasks.

6. Summarise and assign an action plan/next steps

Establish an action plan once the meeting is finished.

Summarise the key points discussed, assign tasks to respective individuals, and set deadlines.

This is crucial to ensure that everyone is on the same page and knows exactly what they need to do next.

This strategy aims to keep everyone accountable and foster a sense of teamwork and shared responsibility.

7. Create a clear career progression pathway

If you are a manager, make sure that those in your team who are interested in progression will see a clear path of progression within your company.

If you are not a manager, you can ask to create this plan with your manager.

With a rapid career progression plan an employer will be far more likely to attract the best Millennial and Gen Z talent.

Make it super clear from the beginning what are promotions based on.