Xero Accounting Gold Champion Partner
We hope you enjoy reading the blog post.
If you want our team to do your accounting or tax for you click here.

How to manage a remote team

remote team

Most businesses have now been forced to either shut down or figure out how they can continue to work remotely…choosing the latter will ensure you have a healthier business once we get to the other side of this!

More and more businesses were seeking the option to work away from the office. They may have wanted to save themselves from a long commute, balance a young family, or move to a new city without wanting to change jobs. Whatever the reason, your staff will be happier if they know remote working is an option.

From a manager’s point of view, removing location as a factor in recruiting means you are not limited to your local region in your search for brilliant talent.

“As an employer, restricting your hiring to a small geographic region means you’re not getting the best people you can. As an employee, restricting your job search to companies within a reasonable commute means you’re not working for the best company you can.”

— Remote: Office Not Required

But managing a remote team isn’t without its complications. How do you know who is doing what? How does your team collaborate? How do you ensure no work falls through the cracks and no client is neglected?

The trick is to have a plan in place, supported by carefully chosen technology that will solve these issues.

#1 Have the right tools

Managing a remote team is impossible without the right tools. Luckily there are some great options that will let staff work independently and feel autonomous but still provide you with the ability to oversee and manage them as if they were sitting right next to you.

These are the basics:

#2 Set the expectations, deliverables, & responsibilities

Every manager needs to know what their team is working on during the week. You need to make it clear from day one what you expect, and what they need to deliver in order to “get the work done”. Manage timelines that are reasonable and easy to track (weekly is recommended.)

Try and be granular about the tasks they will need to complete to be successful. A “get started with monthly payroll for Smith & Co.” is not enough. Maybe saying “gathering all the information on new hires” and “scheduling the pay run for review” is much more specific.

Try and ensure everyone knows what you expect and help them prioritize. You don’t need to go into detail on what needs to be delivered every day, but you can surely convey that task A should happen before task B, which should happen before task C, etc. Going back to point #1, make use of your systems to track the status of these tasks and keep them accountable.

#3 Schedule regular catch-ups, encourage communication & collaboration

You need to check in with your team and discuss where they are at. Distance is no excuse for this not to happen. Make use of your video conferencing tool and schedule these meetings regularly. It’s not quite the same as chatting in person, but it’s pretty close.

You can have different catchups with different objectives. We suggest:

  • A weekly team meeting (videoconference or teleconference): the length of this meeting will vary according to the size of your team, but it can go anywhere between 10minutes to 45 minutes. Everyone on your staff, from partners to junior accountants shares what they need to accomplish during the week, if there are any blockers, or if they will be unavailable. Another option is to have a “representative” of the department share what that team will be working on (a popular choice in horizontal accounting practices.)
  • A weekly 1-1 meeting between the manager and each team member (videoconference): this meeting can go for 30 mins and it’s a chance for you to set the groundwork for the week. You can assess how the previous week went and, if you are able to see your team member’s to-do list, you can assist in prioritizing what they are working on, and go through those particular tasks that you can see will consume most of their time. Check the progress of pieces of work and see what items are due soon.
  • A daily standup (teleconference or chat) where everyone in the team very succinctly shares what they will be working on that day.

“We handle trust (that comes with having remote staff) by having a lot of regular check-ins and having very clear measurables and results so there is no ambiguity about what actually needs to be done. Ultimately it comes back down to your recruitment. If you’re not recruiting people who you trust, I don’t know why you’d really recruit them into your team.”

— Finn Kelly, WE LOVE NUMBERS

Outside of meetings, it’s important that blockers are identified, and communication is tracked. If a job is stuck because you are waiting on a client to send you information, mark it as such (and set reminders to re-ask for it!). All phone conversations with clients should be recorded (or at least notes taken) so that anyone else involved in that job or with that client is aware.

#4 Standardize processes

When the team is working from different locations, you can’t leave any doubts about who is responsible for doing what, or everyone executing in a different manner. This is where standardizing your most common processes becomes key.

For complex processes involving multiple members of the team, or those compliance jobs where you want efficiency to be at its maximum, set up a template job that has a standard checklist with every single step everyone needs to take to get it done.

Each checklist item should be assigned to someone, and include a due date. You might find it useful to add a final item in each standardized process called “Review work”, and assign it to yourself.

With this process, everyone will know exactly what they are responsible for, what their deadline is, and what other colleagues are working on towards the overall outcome. It’s the perfect way for a team to collaborate on a shared project from multiple locations.

As a manager, you will have a birds-ey view of all of this, and easily be able to keep track of how close the project is towards completion.

#5 Gain the confidence to trust them

Managing remote employees requires an element of trust. However, we know business owners like to be in control; so if this is you, ensure you implement systems that allow you to have full visibility over everything going on.

It’s not about micro-managing—it’s about tracking, learning, and setting corrections in place so that mistakes are not repeated and productivity is increased in every iteration. If you have the systems and communication checks in place, it will become more and more natural as time goes by.

A remote team will allow you to scale faster, hire the best talent available and provide attractive work options to employees. If you have the right systems and processes in place, you will find that collaboration, communication and visibility will not be sacrificed. In fact, you may even find that it all works even smoother than if you were all in the same building.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
Ready to take your financial success to new heights?
How would it feel to have peace of mind knowing that your finances are in the hands of experienced professionals who are passionate about helping you maximise your financial potential?
Ready to experience the difference? Contact us today for a complimentary consultation and discover how our tailored accounting solutions can empower your financial future.
What our clients say?
5.0
Based on 10 reviews
powered by Google
Martin Mulder
12:36 17 Aug 23
I have only the greatest appreciation for this company. I was going through a difficult time and they were understanding and accommodating. My tax was handled speedily and efficiently.
Kevin Rademeyer
07:20 17 Aug 23
We have been using Melissa, Marche and the rest of the crew at ThriveCFO for over 10 years, in order to compile our annual audit for Law Society. They have been exceptional, efficient and pro-active every year. I would not take the business anywhere else.
Jan de Wit
13:13 13 Jun 23
Our firm has been making use of the services of Thrive CFO for more than 10 years. Thrive CFO has amazing staff that is not only extremely helpful, but also very capable. We are extremely happy with their services and will continue to support them. They make accounting easy. Thanks Melissa, Marche and the rest of the Team - You Rock!!
LM Keyser
07:13 13 Jun 23
The ThriveCFO team has been our trusted accounting and tax partner since 2010. They are competent, honest, approachable, quick to respond, and they really do care. I highly recommend them.
Andre Claassen
10:24 08 Jun 23
Prompt, professional and personal service!!
Palabadi Ramaphoko
19:38 15 May 23
I'm impressed with the work you do. You are extremely professional and polite. I hope we will grow big together!
Deidre Oosthuysen
12:20 04 May 23
I feel as though Thrive CFO is a natural part of our business. 100% professional. Very knowledgeable. Incredibly organised. And with a work ethic and proactive communication practices, I know I am in the very best hands possible.
Sean Fabian
07:45 04 May 23
As someone who has had the pleasure of working with Thrive CFO, I can confidently say that they are an exceptional company with an unwavering dedication to their clients. From beginning to end, their commitment to providing top-tier financial services is evident in every interaction.One of the things that sets Thrive CFO apart is their focus on education. They take the time to educate their clients on financial best practices and help them understand the reasoning behind their recommendations. This approach ensures that clients are empowered to make informed decisions about their finances.Thrive CFO also uses the latest technology to streamline their services and make the financial management process as efficient as possible. They utilize cloud-based software to provide real-time financial data and make it easy for clients to access their financial information at any time.Overall, Thrive CFO is an exceptional company that is dedicated to providing personalised financial solutions that help their clients succeed. If you're looking for a financial firm that truly cares about your success, I highly recommend Thrive CFO.
Michael Dawson
15:48 02 May 23
Great experience with the team! Always willing to assist with questions and able to help guide my small business to ensure that I am compliant.
Riaan Schlebusch ITMC
12:15 21 Apr 23
Professional, smart and friendly people.You only deal with the best of the best, and they know how to answer your questions, and they ensure that they understand you, and make they make sure to take the time to know your business.
See All Reviews
js_loader
Scroll to Top
Open chat
Hi there, I'm available to chat!
Hello
Can we help you?