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6 Practical Tips For Managing Remote Teams

July 08, 20252 min read

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.

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