We at INKUBIT Group specialize in the implementation and development of business systems such as Microsoft Business Applications and Business Intelligence & Analytics. As a full service provider, INKUBIT Group manages the entire product lifecycle starting with consulting, then implementation and finally deployment and maintenance. At INKUBIT Group our vision is to help customers reach their fullest potential by focusing on people and creating business value in a fast and constantly changing environment. We support you with the creation of your business requirement profile, a potential analysis and employee training. You can count on our expertise through the whole process—from the implementation until the initial commissioning.
Our managing directors and partners have been leading teams that work at different locations for several years. Here, we rely heavily on our internal communication. We also have colleagues who work from home offices in Hamburg, Hanover and Bremerhaven. I myself spend the majority of my working hours in the home office in Berlin. You often face the challenge of not getting all the information from the teams working remotely. But it works. Well, actually, in my opinion. We've put together a few tips that will help you manage digital teams.
- Communication and Leadership
The first step toward managing teams remotely is to maintain good lines of communication. It takes effort to be on the same page at all times, which is why you should reinforce your availability as a manager. Leaders should be present since questions and issues will inevitably occur and team members will seek guidance and assurance. Therefore, we suggest to talk to your team members once in the morning to discuss the agenda and ideally once in the evening to evaluate progress. For internal communication, use Microsoft Teams.
In addition to this, you must keep in mind that every employee is different; some of them may need more contact with their managers than others. This is the case for juniors, who are usually assigned to a mentor. The bottom line is that it is important to give employees the feeling that they are not alone at all times. For example, if there are any uncertainties within our Microsoft Team solution, a daily meeting can be set up very quickly in order to be always up to date.
- Remote Work Challenges
Of course, leading digital teams also brings with it certain challenges, quite simply because of the distance between employees. This makes it difficult for managers to obtain information about the mood barometer within the company. Also, the communication between the employees is limited only to professional topics.
In order to combat "social distancing", we recommend switching on the video function instead of just the audio function at your next meeting. This way, you can more effectively enable your social contacts to take place virtually and "meet" with your colleagues online. Maintaining certain morning routines and regular breaks can also help you maintain a clear head at all times. For example, have you considered continuing the tradition of an obligatory morning coffee with your colleagues even during your virtual online meeting?
- Need of a Structured Approach
Whether your team is managed remotely or on-site, one aspect both versions of collaboration have in common is that both should be clearly regulated. The following details must all be clearly defined - who has to do which tasks, to what extent, how and by when.
The responsibilities should be given to the employee at best in the "out-boarding process" to the home office. A structured process will decide whether your teams feel safe, enjoy working together and are willing to carry out the tasks assigned to them, despite the circumstance of having to work within their homes. If this process has gone well, the switch to remote teams should generally be easier, as the responsibilities are clearly delineated.
- Tools for Successfully Working Remotely
Appropriate tools are the basis of location-independent communication in remote teams. They do not replace a culture of discussion in the company, but they can be of fundamental importance in terms of support, especially in remote teams.
The following tools help us in our daily work:
- Scheduling and project planning:
Microsoft DevOps, Microsoft Outlook - Project management:
Microsoft Planner, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Project Automation - Chat and video conferencing:
Microsoft Teams - Cloud storage:
Microsoft AZURE, Microsoft SharePoint
Effective use of these various tools is intended to improve the speed of communication and the cooperation between the individual teams. We at INKUBIT Group have, working like this successfully for years. For this purpose, we use the complete range of the Microsoft Business Applications Solution Ecosystem. More information about Microsoft Base can be found here.
Make an appointment today with one of our experts, who will help you even in these turbulent times with a non-binding conversation. We would be happy to help you digitalize your company and prepare it for the challenges of tomorrow.
Would you like to receive even more insights and tips for targeted employee management in your home office? Then register here now for our upcoming webinar.
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