It is important to understand the principles of remote work, especially as this trend continues to grow and appears likely to become the primary way of

working in the future. A 2018 study by Switzerland-based office services company IWG found that 70% of people

around the world worked remotely at least once a week. What do you think that figure is today, amid the current coronavirus pandemic?

Working from home or away from the office will continue in some form, but this presents a management challenge. We need to learn what

What are the principles of remote work, and how can teams be managed successfully and effectively? We explore these questions in the following presentation:

.

Read also:5 Skills to Master When Working Remotely

.

Effective communication culture

When we begin working remotely, managers need to establish an effective communication framework that keeps everyone on track,

and ensures that everyone is aligned around the same vision and working toward the same goals.

Remote teams also need to start every project with clear principles that support effective communication, while

remaining flexible. If things aren’t working well, it’s fine to adjust the approach and make changes.

A remote team communication framework should include: the goals of the current project, task deadlines, how to measure

success, which meetings are mandatory, expected or required online availability, working hours, and so on.

.

Read also:6 tools to improve remote work productivity

.

Setting and respecting boundaries

One of the most important principles of remote work is to set clear boundaries between work and personal life, and between ourselves and

our colleagues.

Striking the right balance in communication with a remote team can be challenging. You don’t want so much communication that

your team feels overwhelmed and confused, but at the same time, you don’t want so little communication that it leads to

your team feeling isolated and unproductive. As a manager, then, you need to find the right balance between the two.

Another boundary worth mentioning when working remotely is personal interruptions during your work time. Since most

remote workers work from home, family or friends may assume you’re available all the time, and so

they may interrupt and distract you from time to time. In such cases, you need to set boundaries with them and explain your schedule

your work for them, and the times when you’ll be available to them.

.

Read also:How to Evaluate Remote Employees

.

Making employees’ work and contributions visible

“Being visible” is one remote-work principle you can’t overlook. No matter how diligent an employee is, they can be forgotten—or even be blamed

for falling behind or neglecting their duties. That’s why remote workers should always be visible: keep their team informed and let them

know what they’re working on and what they’re actually doing.

Your teammates or team lead may be caught up in their day-to-day tasks, so it’s now your responsibility to keep them regularly updated on

مهامك الحالية.

Another way to stay visible is to respond to tasks and messages as quickly as possible. However, this doesn’t mean you have to

You may be available even during your personal time, but responding quickly is a great way to let your team know that you’re doing your job

to the best of your ability—or at least that you’re working.

.

Read also:The Benefits and Challenges of Remote Work

.

Defining responsibilities

A common issue in remote teams is that one team member may unknowingly take on a task another colleague has already worked on

or that someone may complete a task outside their area of responsibility. But the root cause of this problem is

a lack of clear, precise definitions of each employee’s responsibilities.

Also, if your responsibilities as a remote employee aren’t entirely clear, be sure to ask your manager or get in touch with the team lead

Ask the team to clarify exactly what they expect from you and which tasks you’re responsible for completing.

The team leader should ensure that all team members clearly understand what they’re expected to do.