Building remote teams

The Playbook

Why build a remote team at all?

First, the elephant in the room: some businesses just don’t work remotely. You can’t fix cars or landscape gardens over Zoom. 

But almost every business could use at least some remote talent, and it’s a great way to access a broader talent pool than your local area. You can also lower overhead costs — less office space, lower bills, and you can even hire talent from other countries.

So how do you get the most out of a team that you don’t see face to face? 

Here’s my guide.

Step 1: Define your objectives and needs

First, nail down your biggest reason for building a remote team. 

Are you trying to broaden your hiring pool? Do you want more flexibility for your existing team? Are your trying to lower your costs? 

Your main goal here will guide your future decisions.

Then, assess which of your positions are suitable for remote work or hybrid work.

Step 2: Develop a remote work policy

A solid remote work policy sets the tone and expectations for your team. Try to answer all questions ahead of time.

• Clarify Scope and Purpose: Who is eligible to work remotely? For hybrid, how many days? Is there a distance requirement for your hybrid policy?

• Set Communication Standards: When do you expect people to be online and available? What communication tools should they use? (More on this below.)

• Security Protocols: Should employees use a password manager? How about VPN usage? Are you providing work equipment for them to take home, or expecting them to use their own machines? 

Make this policy easily available to everybody in the company. If anyone has questions, post the answers for everyone to see. 

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Step 3: Update your hiring process

Hiring remotely often requires new strategies:

• Build remote-specific job descriptions: Highlight skills needed for remote work, like self-discipline and communication skills.

• Use diverse recruitment channels: Use remote-specific job boards and communities to attract the right candidates.

• Tailor interviews for remote readiness: Include video calls and assess their home office setup to ensure they’re prepared for remote work.

Step 4: Find the right tools & technology

Equip your team with tools that support collaboration and productivity. You’ll probably need:

• An asynchronous communication hub (like Slack)

• A video call platform (I like Google Meet)

• A project management platform (like Asana or Trello)

• The right hardware and software support

That last point might mean providing equipment for home office setups, or offering stipends for people to buy their own equipment. If you do a stipend, make sure to specify your hardware requirements.

Step 5: Establish clear communication guidelines

Effective communication is the backbone of remote work. So cover all your bases.

• Do you need people to set their online statuses? Post daily updates? Is there an expected response time?

• When do you do video calls? Some work happens better in real time. Remember to factor in time zones. 

• Set regular meetings and check-ins. Schedule weekly stand-ups and monthly all-hands meetings to keep everyone connected and aligned.

Step 6: Build a strong team culture

Strong remote teams thrive on culture and connection. 

Start off on the right foot with thorough virtual onboarding. Set up lots of meet and greets and mentoring sessions for remote employees so they feel like part of the team.

Set up regular team activities, like virtual coffee breaks, game times, or casual Slack channels for unstructured interaction.

Finally, celebrate — whether it’s an individual or team achievement, a holiday, or a significant company milestone, share wins across your whole team to get people onboard.

Step 7: Keep tabs on performance

Many managers are worried that remote workers won’t perform as well as in person. Address that concern head-on with clear goals and regular feedback.

Goals: set SMART goals. That is, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. (My quick dive into SMART goals here!)

Feedback: Schedule quarterly reviews and focus on outcomes rather than hours worked.

That’s it for today!