Working in an office in downtown Dubai allows for multiple levels and types of communication. In an office, there are far more opportunities to talk, discuss, and observe. There are numerous tools and infrastructure that help team members communicate more effectively. Finally, managers and team members understand how to make the most of an office setting.
Every day in your Dubai office, your team members see and interact with one another. It creates a sense of familiarity and intimacy between them. People can approach others and strike up a conversation. Team meetings are great for connecting and bonding because people talk about things they both care about.
The most important and difficult component of a successful remote team is communication. A remote team’s communication requirements are distinct. Most of the team might be in-location in Abu Dhabi while the others are in coworking offices, or serviced offices in Dubai. These differences can create a unique challenge. As part of a remote team, you must be aware of the nuances and challenges of communicating effectively with a remote team.
Change the Team’s Written Communication Style
The majority of business teams overuse jargon, acronyms, and abbreviations. While these can help reduce the amount of text that needs to be written, if everyone on the team is unfamiliar with them, they can cause confusion. Make a dictionary or a list of acronyms/abbreviations that the team can use, and don’t let them use any that aren’t on it. If he does not know where to look, it will make sure that everyone knows.
Switching from brief, terse emails to more detailed ones is another important change to make. Short emails are useful for quick notes, but they are ineffective for explaining or communicating critical issues. Encourage your team to send emails that are as detailed as possible. The goal is to avoid misunderstandings and miscommunications.
Due to time differences, it may take several hours for some members to clarify things with one another. Clear, detailed communication can save time, confusion, and even heartburn for everyone involved.
Avoid Micromanaging
It’s difficult to manage remote teams because you can’t walk up to them and see what they’re doing. Some people try to check in with team members several times throughout the day. While it may be acceptable for urgent tasks, it is not recommended. Even when they work remotely, your team members are mature adults.
Effective remote working requires enabling team members rather than bombarding them with calls and emails about their work. It’s critical that your team members feel valued and trusted. Use tools to collaborate and track progress, but avoid the trap of using intrusive tools and making too many phone calls.
Choose Which Tools to use and How to Use Them
There are numerous tools available to help you manage a remote team. It’s all too easy to get carried away and end up with too many tools. You might end up with a befuddling mix of tools that your team is unsure how to use.
Many of these have features and functions that overlap. For example, you can make video calls with both Slack and Zoom, so which one should you use if you have both?
As a result, it’s critical that you carefully select a tool set and define how to use it. Without this clarity, each team member will rely on a tool or app that he or she is familiar with. Consider how some of your team members communicate via WhatsApp while others use Slack. It will almost certainly result in miscommunication and confusion.
Make Use of Virtual Team-Building Exercises
The most serious issue that remote workers face is loneliness. It can lead to disengagement, decreased productivity, and even employee turnover. Loneliness can drive some people to take drastic measures.
The only way to combat loneliness is for team members to form personal and social bonds. Team members can communicate better with each other, discuss issues, and find solutions to problems before they become too big by connecting with others.
There are team-building activities for virtual teams, just as there are activities for people who work in an office. Both synchronous and asynchronous activities are possible.
Leave a Reply