Pushing an under-performing team to perform better is not as simple as tugging on a leash. But the task is even harder when team members are working from different zip codes. How do you turn things around? Here are some tips that you can keep in mind.
1. Identify and address unresolved concerns
According to Fast Company, remote teams can be more efficient because they get to focus on getting the job done rather than deal with office distractions. But this lack of physical connection is also why it can be difficult to address a problem when things aren’t going smoothly.
Therefore, you have to know the cause of the issue in the first place. This will require you to initiate conversations with your team. Does your communication system have bottleneck issues? Is the workload distributed evenly? Do members of the team have concerns that they don’t speak up about on the proper channels? Check on your supervisors and listen and observe the team. It requires a bit of prodding, but this is the best you can do next to an actual meeting.
2. Connect specific tasks to the team’s objectives and long-term goals
Without an office to pull employees together and establish a collective identity, it can be difficult to make employees understand the connection of their tasks to the team’s objectives. Daily assignments may appear arbitrary and routine, and therefore, may result in unmotivated employees. Forbes suggests reminding them of how these tasks relate to the team goals and providing a direction to the team’s efforts. It not only bonds the team as a collective unit with a single objective, but it also makes them aware of the organization’s future plans. This way, they will feel that they are working with a purpose.
3. Improve organizational leadership
Without good organizational leadership, remote workers will have no sense of direction. That’s why improving organizational leadership is also important. The term refers to how personnel in key positions can strategically and thoughtfully lead teams. Organizational leadership encompasses three things, and Maryville University identifies these as “critical thinking, change management, and understanding the collaborative mindset that influences organizational behavior.” Critical thinking means coming up with creative solutions, change management means helping the team power through changes, and a collaborative mindset refers to the team’s capacity to work as a group. As they are the team’s primary change agents, the leaders need to have organizational leadership skills. In short, guiding them is crucial in turning things around for an underperforming team.
4. Build trust, but don’t push too hard
All productive relationships are built on trust and intimacy. However, it is also necessary to consider each member’s personal preferences and boundaries. The Couch Manager interviewed Lisette Sutherland, director of Collaboration Superpowers, and she said that remote workers get to enjoy “greater job opportunities, productivity, independence, and satisfaction.” It is precisely this freedom compared to a traditional office culture that attracts most employees to remote work, so don’t expect too much from them in terms of social interaction.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that remote work should be sterile and impersonal. A ‘hi,’ ‘good job,’ or ‘thanks’ will still be appreciated. A little bit of personality can make the online working environment livelier and very appealing.
There might not be any cubicles to visit or pantries to share lunch stories in, but the dynamics that remote work provides aren’t too different from your typical office setup. Therefore, if you come across efficiency issues, understand the roots of the problem, build up an organizational identity, train the leaders, and build trust. These things can be done remotely, and, if done properly, can elevate the team’s overall performance.
This is a guest post by Penny Brooke (article written specifically for The Couch Manager).
