COVID-19: Here’s how to manage remote teams for your startup

Many companies have in the last few days, rolled out mandatory work-from-home policies amidst the spread of COVID-19. It’s realistic to assume that shifting to the ‘home office’ will become the new normal for many of us for a while, given the sit at home order given by President Muhammadu Buhari to Lagos, Ogun, Abuja residents from 11pm today.

Some employees will be working from home for the first time, which means figuring out how to stay on task in a new environment that may not lend itself to productivity. But there are ways to deliver results and avoid going stir-crazy. Thanks to the internet, we can aptly describe the world we live in today as one big global village, and with that comes the concept of remote working teams who are not limited by time or distance.
 

We have come to accept the fact that it is possible to have 6 people from 6 different continents working on a single project and doing it so effectively that it would not make much of a difference if it had been done by an in-house team all working from one location.

To help you navigate this period, here are a few tips that will help your remote teams grow to be more productive and well-coordinated:

Set Clear Expectations
Everyone has different ideas of what it means to do something “quickly” or “well” means. Whether showing examples of what you expect to be done, calendar sharing, etc., make sure you have clear expectations from those you work with online. The more prepared they are, the better they can serve.


You should set clear expectations for:

• Work hours
• Availability
• Communication system
• Timely meetings
• Key projects and deadlines
• Scheduled meetings
• Response to email 

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