
6 Practical Tips For Managing Remote Teams
Remote or hybrid team not quite clicking?
You’re not alone. Managing people you don’t see every day brings new challenges - especially around performance, communication, and trust.
But here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be hard.
You just need the right systems in place.
Let’s break it down.
1. Get really clear on expectations
Remote work doesn’t cope well with vagueness.
Every team member should know:
What they’re responsible for
When it’s due
What success looks like
Who they answer to
That’s not micromanaging. That’s setting the stage so people can crack on confidently.
No guessing. No second-guessing.
Just clarity.
2. Don’t wait until there’s a problem to check in
One-to-ones are your secret weapon - but only if they’re regular.
Weekly or fortnightly is ideal
Keep them focused on progress, support needs and wellbeing
Don’t let them turn into status updates
Adapt to the role and the individual - not everyone needs an hour
Fifteen minutes on Zoom beats five days of confused emails.
3. Agree how you’ll track progress
If no one knows what’s getting done (or not), things unravel fast.
A few simple tools help:
Project boards or dashboards
Team metrics everyone can see
Short weekly updates
Regular team check-ins to share wins
It’s not about surveillance. It’s about visibility.
4. Make sure no one gets left out
Remote workers often miss the chats that matter.
Here’s how to fix that:
Keep key convos in shared channels, not in-office whispers
Share decisions in writing
Ask for feedback actively
Rotate meeting times if you’ve got different working hours
Inclusivity isn’t a policy. It’s a habit.
And if one person’s remote, treat the whole meeting as remote. It works better for everyone.
5. Build connection across locations
It’s easy for remote and office teams to drift apart. But they don’t have to.
Mix up project teams
Share skills across roles and locations
Use real-time collaboration tools
Meet in person now and then
These things build trust.
And trust is what holds teams together. Not the postcode on their contract.
6. Celebrate the wins - not just the visible ones
If you only praise what you can see, you’ll miss half the good stuff.
Try this:
Recognise achievements from all locations
Shine a light on behind-the-scenes work
Keep progression open to everyone
Ask the team if your recognition practices feel fair
People stay where they feel seen.
Remote doesn’t mean distant
Great remote teams aren’t built on control. They’re built on trust, clarity, and good systems.
If performance is wobbling or your team’s feeling disconnected, we can help.
From one-off support to building custom management tools, we make remote working work for you.
Book a call if you’re ready to stop firefighting and start leading with confidence.