Remote work, whether part-time- or full-time, has turned out to be a very effective strategy that ensures a better work-life balance for the employees.
But, of course, the system has its risks, so unless managed right, it can turn into a complete disaster with work-life balance disrupted and productivity lost.
The most challenging part is that everyone on a team has to do their part and fulfill their end of the deal, which demands responsibility and flexibility from each team member.
But as far as project manager job duties go, several challenging areas require most of your attention. Let’s try to figure out how to navigate those with the least danger and most effect.
Establishing Communication Is a Continuous Process
Building effective communication in a team is not a single-time process that can be done just once. Yes, you can invest in the right tools, starting from Asana and ending with Zoom or Slack, but technology alone is not enough. Effective communication is about active listening, reacting to challenges, quickly responding to any misunderstandings before they turn into massive problems, and much more. Usually, the following tips should help — at least for a start.
- Don’t turn team meetings into a senseless cult. There is nothing worse than a daily/weekly/monthly meeting that is held just for the sake of meeting. Yes, it is very important to ensure everyone on the team is up-to-date with the new project developments, but you should not turn meetings into a formal routine where everyone just sits in front of their screen and waits for the official part to be over. Schedule team meetings only when really necessary — and only with project members who may have something to discuss with each other.
- Dedicate time to each team member separately. Instead of scheduling meetings with the whole team, with half of the people daydreaming before the formal session ends, invest more effort into regular check-ins with smaller groups. First, this usually results in nurturing meaningful relationships with your team members. And second, this actually gives you a better picture of how the project is progressing — which is one of the PM’s primary responsibilities.
- Regularly ask for feedback (and listen). Communication starts with listening, not with talking. One of the surest ways to stay updated on the moods and developments within your team is to ask for feedback. You can do so during your check-ins or create a questionnaire and send it out to everyone on your team — whichever works for you. Motivated employees usually have suggestions on the areas that need improvement, and they gladly share their thoughts if management is prepared to listen.
Minding the Line Between Check-Ins and Micromanagement
We’ve already mentioned regular check-ins with smaller groups or even separate people on your team to nurture relationships and monitor the project’s progress. But there is a thin line between regular check-ins and annoying micromanagement. In fact, a McKinsey study shows that most US employees believe their immediate boss to be the main stress factor at work.
With remote project management, regular check-ins are dangerously close to nagging micro-management that no responsible adult will appreciate. So, how do you make sure you do not cross that line? These tips can help:
- Set realistic project milestones. One more essential part of a PM’s job that often gets overlooked is that you’re the one responsible for setting doable, realistic milestones, not the end clients. Yes, that calls for much negotiation and diplomacy, but interacting with clients is an entirely different topic. When your team members are concerned, setting realistic milestones, making them known to all employees, and checking in on those milestones usually helps prevent them from falling into the micro-management trap.
- Make yourself available for emergencies. While it is important to set boundaries, PMs should also be available for emergencies that just keep on happening no matter how efficient and professional the team may be. If you manage to create a work environment where team members come to you when something goes wrong, you will not need to monitor their every step. Sure, that one is tricky, too — you do not want to get a phone call every time a team member has a question. But that is where reasonable boundaries come in.
- Have human conversations before making demands. Staying human may be one of the biggest challenges when managing remote teams. In a physical office, human conversations usually happen naturally — there are coffee breaks, lunch deliveries, and small talk about your weekends. When working remotely, messaging someone with a ‘how are you’ seems like a pointless interruption, but those questions still matter. It’s just that you should ask those questions before you ask something from a team member. Yes, it’s an obvious move that does not really trick anyone. But it still works.
Carrots Work Better Than Sticks, but How Much Is Too Much?
Did you know that only a third of US workers receive any form of weekly recognition for their efforts, as of the Company Culture Statistic report for 2023? Just think for a second how alarming this stat is — two in every three employees do not even hear a ‘thank you, well done’ once a week. At the same time, according to the same report, motivated teams outperform non-motivated workers by up to 202%.
Sure, motivation at work is not just about timely praise, high salaries, or generous bonus packages. But it all starts with a simple ‘thank you, great job’ and keeps scaling further. Here are some tips that may help nurture this kind of atmosphere at work (besides the obvious ‘thank you,’ of course):
- Promote friendly connections. Colleagues do not need to be best mates, but a friendly environment at work can do wonders for the team’s morale and motivation. Promoting work friendships is not part of a PM’s job description, of course. But, if there is a chance to arrange a physical meeting — a picnic, a barbecue, a hiking trip, a few beers after work — arrange it. That will help you establish a human connection with your team and promote better communication.
- Create opportunities for career growth. Once again, it may not seem like a PM’s primary duty, but there are always things good leaders can do. People who feel stuck at work will never perform to their fullest, so it is up to you to show that there is room for growth. Consider delegating some responsibilities and talking with higher executives about promotions — whatever applies to your company specifics. The main goal is to make sure your team members feel appreciated.
- Encourage personal well-being. It’s not about spa gift cards, but if someone on the team has to pull overtime, make sure it is compensated with enough off days. The goal is to show team members that you care about them, not just project milestones. It’s another simple but very effective trick PMs should never forget.
Finding the right balance in these challenging project management areas is halfway to success. Of course, a lot will depend on the project specifics and your team members — here, the human factor plays the most important role. But project managers simply cannot go wrong by establishing meaningful relationships with their team members, and the above tips should point you in the right direction.
With over a decade in the tech field, Bogdan blends technical expertise with insights on business innovation in technology.
A regular contributor to TMS Outsource's blog, where you'll find sharp analyses on software development, tech business strategies, and global tech dynamics.
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