Advancements in digitalization and technology have eased remote work. With collaborative applications being developed, employees can do their jobs while away from a centrally located workplace.&nbsp; Further, robust technology and AI-powered tools taking center place have made it even easier for remote employees to connect with their managers seamlessly.&nbsp; But technology imposes challenges too. One such challenge is the effective management of remote teams.&nbsp; As a team leader, you must provide your remote team with the leadership and guidance they need to work collaboratively.&nbsp; A few key challenges, like social isolation, lack of face-to-face interaction, and a lack of supervision, arise when managing remote teams.&nbsp; Even though managing remote working may seem challenging, managers can do a few of the below-mentioned things to ease the transition for remote employees.&nbsp;

8 Tips That Will Make You an Effective Team Leader


Teams that work remotely are more crucial than ever. Organizations are using the benefits of remote work to remain competitive and acquire the required capabilities. According to Upwork's analysis of developments in the labor market,<ul><li>58% of businesses are still entirely remote or hybrid.</li><li>In the past year, 78% of companies have collaborated with remote freelancers.</li><li>For the next two years, 47% of companies anticipate relying even more on remote talent. &nbsp;</li></ul>

7 Virtual Celebration Ideas to Rear Remote Teams Harmony

Whether you've worked remotely previously or not, you've definitely noticed how challenging it can be to maintain a regular routine. Without a commute or early team meetings to get you in the work mind frame, you can wake up groggy in the morning. You could perhaps gaze out the window, see how late it is, and realize that you've actually worked through dinner when you feel completely like you're in a groove and about to finish all of it on your to-do agenda.It doesn't necessarily imply you're a lousy worker or that your career is taking a downward turn if you've been a remote marketer who has fallen for many scheduling pitfalls. A scheduling blunder only indicates that, like many other individuals with uncertain working styles, you may require some everyday structure.<h2>10 Tips for an Effective Remote Work Schedule</h2>

10 Tips to Easily Create an Effective Remote Work Schedule

New opportunities have opened up with remote working in the picture. People can now work from anywhere, be it from the comfort of their house or while traveling. It has now become just as normal as going to the office.But to have a seamless remote working experience, some renovation and upgradation are needed. Investing in good equipment and infrastructure can be beneficial if you plan to work remotely permanently or for a long period. &nbsp;It can get overwhelming thinking about where to start. So rather than delaying it until tomorrow, you can start with these few things.&nbsp;

Remote Work Essentials For Your Home Office

Staff Augmentation: Key Strategy for Successful Businesses The outsourcing strategy of staff augmentation involves adding new workers to an existing company. By increasing capacity and offering extra support, this strategy enables the organization to meet the demands of the project's objectives.How Staff Augmentation Helps You Achieve Business Goals? On-demand staffing is a resource businesses can use to do tasks more quickly and effectively accomplish their goals. Vendors of staff augmentation collaborate with learning consultants that are prepared to offer your company temporary talent solutions to bridge the skill gaps in your workforce. Vendors collaborate with you to provide the most practical solution, whether you require long-term or temporary workers.<h2>6 Prime Benefits of Staff Augmentation:</h2>

Staff Augmentation as a Successful Business Strategy

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1. Discuss Technology

Digital transformation is being widely embraced across almost all organizations. Moreover, tools like Google, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc., are available to support team communication. Technological adeptness is a must with a wide range of remote tools available.&nbsp; Team leaders must discuss with remote employees whether they face technical issues when using communication tools . Getting on a conference call and asking your team which tools make them feel more connected to their co-workers and help them stay productive is a good idea.&nbsp; Whenever a new member joins your team, provide them with technical training. As a team leader, you must ensure that all your team members are on the same page and can communicate effectively.&nbsp; If your team members are facing any technical issues, set up a video conference meeting to discuss them with an IT professional from the organization.&nbsp; &nbsp;

2. Establish Regular Interaction 

3. Establish Guidelines for Communication

Remote teams become more efficient when you establish clear guidelines for internal communication. As a team leader, you must direct your teams on how frequently they should communicate, which mode of communication they must use, and set an ideal time for connecting.&nbsp; For example, define when teams must communicate via video-conferencing and when to reach their peers or manager via instant messaging.&nbsp; All in all, you need to ensure that remote teams clearly understand the internal communication channel.&nbsp;

4. Set Expectations

Before assigning tasks to your remote teams or taking up a project, set clear expectations. Define the workflow and communicate how you want your team to work on the deliverables. Remember to provide continuous feedback to your team. It may help improve performance and efficiency. It also helps give your team a sense of direction when they understand their goals better.&nbsp; &nbsp;

5. Focus on the Employee Outcome

The number one rule of increasing employee engagement is focusing on employee outcomes rather than activity.&nbsp; Define the ‘why’ behind any task. This helps your team understand why it is working towards that specific goal, and they can connect to it easily.&nbsp; Create an outline of goals and results that define the goal and allow the employees to utilize resources to perform to their best ability.&nbsp; &nbsp;

6. Allocate Resources

Your remote teams need access to the necessary tools and resources to perform optimally. Working remotely requires access to proper technology like webcams, headsets, laptops, and other relevant software or hardware. You must plan your budget accordingly to facilitate these tools and technologies.&nbsp; &nbsp;

7. Promote Team Interactions

Regular communication and information exchange amongst employees is necessary to enhance collaboration. In a remote environment, team members are likely to feel detached from their peers, especially if they aren’t communicating regularly.&nbsp; Organizing regular team video conferences, &nbsp;recognition sessions, and virtual socializing sessions can improve internal team communication. <a href="https://www.sourcefirms.com/blog/best-remote-team-building-exercises-to-help-your-organization-grow">Here are some ideas to enhance remote-team collaboration.&nbsp;</a> &nbsp;

8. Allow Flexibility

One of the few benefits of remote working is flexibility. As a team leader, you must realize that every employee has a different work environment.&nbsp; Understand the unique circumstances and challenges of each employee. Let your team know that it is okay for them to work flexibly.

Be a Mentor When Leading Remote Teams

As a team leader, you need to be a mentor, not a manager. You must understand and address the concerns and struggles of your team members.&nbsp; Make sure you establish a smooth communication channel so your team members can comfortably contact you to solve any hindrances or challenges they may face.&nbsp; Maintaining cohesion and improving employee retention – are some of the few things you must consider when managing a remote team. You must employ innovative ways to manage your remote team productively.&nbsp; Remember, time, effort, mutual understanding, consistency, and an open communication channel are a must to manage remote teams effectively.&nbsp; &nbsp;

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Reasons to Celebrate

Feelings of isolation and loneliness negatively impact the well-being and productivity of remote workers. However, with opportunities for team development and forging crucial social relationships with the people they work with daily, virtual events combat those feelings.<ul><li>It alleviates loneliness: A remote workspace can be very liberating and occasionally lonely. Nothing can improve the mood of your remote staff like a quick team break. Because humans are social creatures, getting a few of your coworkers together virtually might be a tonic far superior to binge-watching.</li><li>It helps your teammates come closer: Keeping collaboration effective while working remotely is a significant problem. Your team may conduct video conferences and share multimedia text messages using instant group messaging software without switching between several apps.</li><li>It improves productivity and mood: Exercises for developing virtual teams can give team members a feeling of direction. And having a sense of belonging to a group is considerably more motivating than thinking that your only goal is to make money for others.</li></ul>

Virtual Party Challenges

Virtual party planning has its own set of difficulties. Unfortunately, creating a solid remote culture is not an easy task, given the following obstacles -&nbsp;<ul><li>Technology: With reliable technology, hosting a virtual event will be possible for your company. The last thing people want to do is wait for you to initiate an event with subpar Wi-Fi and clumsy technology when they're eager to get going and play.</li><li>Gatecrashers: Absolutely, it is possible to gatecrash a virtual party. It has been known for someone with entirely too much spare time to enter online conversations and release a few flaws.</li><li>Interest: Although human attention spans are typically short, an hour is sufficient for online entertainment. After that, people are eager to begin their weekends and engage in activities unrelated to their jobs.&nbsp;</li></ul>

Fantastic Virtual Celebration Ideas

These online celebration ideas, from care packages to social media shout-outs to team rituals, will likely encourage connection and goodwill.<ul><li>Make a celebration fund: Instead of sending gifts to your team, you might pay your staff back for small luxuries. Set aside a particular sum for celebrations, say $10/month. Then, permit staff to expense a special treat of their choosing. To promote greater team cohesiveness, you can encourage employees to share unique gifts via video call or online photo album.</li><li>Escape room: Virtual escape rooms might be an excellent solution for your team if you want to celebrate with activities and competitions. Many online escape games, such as The Grimm Escape, Alice Escapes Wonderland, and Mystery Escape Room are available.&nbsp;</li><li>Social media acknowledgment: You can publicly acknowledge the accomplishments of your remote staff by setting up a social media group, campaign, or account specifically for that purpose. One of the most straightforward free ideas for virtual celebrations is social media shout-outs.&nbsp;</li><li>Virtual tours: Leaving the remote office is sometimes the most excellent way to celebrate with a virtual team. So you may substitute a virtual outing for Slack and Zoom for the day and take your company there. You may visit a musical evening, southern food fest, or otherwise leave your typical environment.</li><li>Create a highlight reel together: Media sources publish top ten lists and other collections of the year's highlights every December. By creating your collection, you may highlight your team's accomplishments. Your teammates can send pictures and videos to spice up the presentation.&nbsp;</li><li>Virtual team dinner: Hosting a virtual team dinner is a brilliant way to celebrate with your distant staff. You can either conduct a DIY version in which each person makes their meal or allocate money for food delivery. Some teams even play a game called "Dinner-Roulette," in which members select a supper option for one another.</li><li>Icebreaker activities: Icebreakers can foster trust and camaraderie among remote teams. Team members can feel closer to one another by taking the time to acknowledge birthdays, anniversaries, and other essential occasions online.</li></ul>Apart from these pet intros, virtual happy hour, game night, karaoke night, movie night, scavenger hunts, and online cooking classes are other ways of celebration for remote teams that leads to better collaboration.Hosting a virtual team party is an excellent method to improve the mood of your remote team and promote a culture of appreciation in your virtual office. In addition, Internet get-togethers give remote workers a chance to unwind and socialize informally, offering a revitalizing change of pace from the typical work-from-home routine. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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1. Time Blocking for Intervals

Your daily schedule should be set up so that you may utilize time blocking to select the intervals of the day that you will work and the ones that you will relax. Now, regulate your work hours and keep out all interruptions by using a stringent app and site blocker. You can better concentrate on your task by placing your pastimes on the back burner.

2. Decide Focus Time

You need to include uninterrupted focus time in your calendar in order to improve concentration and design a productive remote work plan. The goal is to schedule 50–60 minutes of focused time each day where you exclusively work on one task at a time and are completely free from other distractions.

3. Consciously Prioritize Tasks

Your ability to work remotely gives you the freedom to plan your own schedule around the times you are most productive. You can schedule all of your critical duties in the morning.

4. Have Timely Breaks

If you wish to stay productive and successful all through the day, intervals are just as crucial as concentrated hours. Schedule regular 15–30 minute breaks into your schedule to serve as a constant reminder to yourself to take pauses. Try stretching out or taking a short walk outside the home whenever you need a break to get some cool breeze.

5. Schedule Your WFH Day

You can choose your own hours when you work remotely, but that doesn't imply you should work continuously all day to complete everything on your agenda. Do your morning routine to prepare for the day, enjoy your lunch break, and then schedule daily coffee breaks when you begin to feel fatigued in the late afternoon so you can return to work feeling rejuvenated.

6. Work Boundaries for Family

The constant interruptions from family and friends might make it challenging to concentrate when working remotely. For working parents with children always at home, things might get even more difficult. Therefore, to avoid having your performance affected, you should be explicit with your families about what they may and may not do while you are working.

7. Include Self-Care as a Routine

It is harder to get motivated for the day ahead when you operate remotely because there are fewer external stimuli. Although you might be inclined to stay in bed till your team logs in, we'd advise that you allow yourself enough time for a morning ritual. Morning rituals give you the chance to take care of yourself, spend quality time with your family, and run any errands besides assisting you get your day off to a fantastic start.

8. Take Manageable Tasks Only

Making your to-do list first thing every morning could cause you to take on more on your plate. Being unable to do the extra tasks may make you feel guilty. Rather, you should set more manageable goals for yourself and only add daily tasks to the list that you can actually do.

9. Have a Separate WFH Office

It can be very enticing to either work from your bed or take a quick nap when you work remotely. However, doing so can encourage your brain to link your bed with work stress rather than leisure, which can be extremely detrimental to your overall productivity. So, you must create a separate working space at home for yourself.&nbsp;

10. Practice a Log-Off Ritual

When your personal and professional lives are intertwined, it can be challenging to detach from your job and put your laptop away after office hours. Establishing a work closure ritual will help you improve your work-life balance by priming your brain to switch off from work. You can check your task list for the following day, let your coworkers know that you'll be leaving, and check your emails one more time.

Conclusion

You may structure an effective workday using technologies that force you to focus, as well as smart task lists and specific goals. To determine what is most effective for you, you will probably need to practice a little. Strong time management abilities will help you boost the effectiveness of these strategies. You can better regulate your time and accomplish more by developing your time management skills. Once you've established a habit, bookmark our WFH expert advice to ensure you've mastered all the necessary WFH abilities.

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Have A Good Setup

Designing a practical layout is an excellent place to start. Have a separate room for your office, where it feels like you have entered your workspace once you arrive. &nbsp;Since this is where you will spend most of your week. So, ensuring your space feels like your own can be a huge motivation. Invest in sturdy furniture, to begin with.Starting with basics, such as good storage space to keep your work-related things, from electronics to files and books. Having a fitting desk with drawers and a comfortable chair is a must. After completing the basic setup, you can decorate your home office. For example, things like shelves, paintings, or quotations can be added to amp up your workspace.When working remotely, you can decorate your space according to you. Play with a few aesthetics and combinations to see what best matches your vibe. You can invest in a few houseplants or just keep it basic and minimalistic.Pay attention to the background, as it will be visible to your colleagues during video calls and conferences. Avoid extremely bright backgrounds, as it may be distracting. Try to keep it minimalistic and professional.&nbsp;

Keep Your Space Organized And Clutter Free

Your environment shapes your mindset; having a clutter-free workspace would mean an organized mind while working. Keeping your space clean and sorted is always a good practice, whether working remotely or on-site. You can use pen stands and desk organizers to store your stationery instead of throwing the pens and highlighters on the desk afterward. Get a journal to write your goals and to-do list for the day. Use sticky notes for top-priority tasks. By doing so, you can see for yourself what your day would look like and how to plan it.While notes and journals can help you in sorting your day out mentally, investing in cordless devices can make your desk look neat and clean. You can use a cordless mouse, keyboard, and earphones so that your desk looks like one and not a place full of wires.These simple changes might look small or unnecessary, but once you incorporate them, you will begin to see the difference for yourself. For example, if your desk is organized, you will not have to search for that particular paper or journal; you will be able to locate it quickly.&nbsp;

Invest In Up-To-Date Electronic Equipments And Tools

A reliable and efficient desktop setup or laptop is essential, obviously. Look for an updated model that serves your purpose according to your job profile. Other than that, you need a sound wifi system, &nbsp;webcam, headphones, etc.Having a stable and high-speed internet connection is the essential key when working remotely, as it is the only way for you to connect with your team. Be it for meetings or communicating some discomfort or issue while working, it can be done only via mail or video meetings or calls that require the internet.Besides that, you need a good quality webcam and headset so that meetings go smoothly and messages are communicated effectively. Ensuring that your audio and video quality is good is a clear indication of your seriousness and professionalism towards your job. As it is the only connecting link, it is necessary to ensure that it operates at an optimum level for efficient work.Since you would be having a lot of digital data stored while working remotely, use cloud-based software and apps so that storage never becomes an issue. Cloud-based software like Google Drive, Dropbox, and Microsoft Office 365 can do that.&nbsp;

With This In Mind,

From your list of must-haves, you can start with the top-priority ones and order the rest according to your needs at the time. Make changes slowly and gradually.Do good research before buying any items, as these are not just small investments but long-term purchases. So make your home office your space so that you enjoy your weekdays just as you enjoy your leisure time.&nbsp;

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Learn about these benefits that form the base of your business's successful strategy -

1. Pay Only for the Required

Staff augmentation will enable your company to expend only what is required. If you are not obliged to hire someone full-time, you can contract with your staff augmentation supplier to obtain the people you need for that period.

2. Time-Efficient 

The requirements must be fulfilled, and paying the hired staff is your only obligation. Your staff augmentation vendor finishes the remaining responsibilities. Along with saving time, this will also save you money.

3. Practice Control Over Your Important Projects 

The goal of projects to hire more personnel is to improve security and enhance workflow visibility. In addition, it encourages a seamless flow that makes things quick and straightforward to complete. This precisely sets this interaction model apart and gives the user a lot of control.

4. Increased IT Department Productivity

Instead of delegating all of the tasks to your existing workforce, staff augmentation allows you to offshore the advanced and sophisticated functions that your team cannot execute. In addition, productivity increases when each team member is assigned a task that best suits their expertise.

5. Vast Talent Acquisition 

Using IT, personnel augmentation also encourages novel opportunities to increase the global skill pool. Creating a worldwide talent pool will help your company become more competitive, offer broader perspectives, and incorporate top-notch resources.

6. Reduced Operational Costs

Affordability is another aspect contributing to the surge in the popularity of team augmentation. Instead of paying annual staff salaries, businesses would invest in essential and practical skills. Staff augmentation services are far less costly because organizational and stock costs are excluded.

5 Staff Augmentation Types to Choose From

Different Staff Augmentation Types that could help you reach your business goals and objectives smoothly -<ol style="list-style-type:decimal;"><li>Hiring a Distributed Team Temporarily: Businesses requiring developers or other experts should use this strategy. Recruiting for positions requiring highly qualified individuals may take weeks or even months.</li><li>Hiring a Distributed Team on a Long-Term Basis: This method enables businesses to engage a group of technical and digital specialists for as long as necessary. Long-term collaborations make the ability to hire people with extensive expertise and soft skills feasible.</li><li>Hiring a Team Without Specific Skill Sets: Using specialized teams or individuals, companies utilize staff augmentation to fill positions that don't require specific expertise or skill set.</li><li>Hiring a Skill-based Team: A specialized team of individuals is employed by a corporation when it requires specialists with specific mid-level abilities.</li><li>Hiring Highly Qualified Experts: When it requires higher expertise to carry out certain activities, the organization employs a specialized team or unique individuals.&nbsp;</li></ol>

Staff Augmentation Models to Take a Note Of!

<ol style="list-style-type:decimal;"><li>Traditional staffing providers: These firms provide companies with contractual employees from different sectors. Traditional vendors are an excellent option for projects when a high level of knowledge is not demanded.</li><li>Boutique staffing agencies: Small employment businesses that focus on appointing competent professionals to specific tasks.</li><li>Vendor staffing providers: Some significant staffing projects are managed by a solo vendor. Suitable for companies who value minimal expenses and need to expand their teams rapidly.</li><li>Online platforms: These websites allow hiring managers quick access to freelancers and independent contractors. It fits brilliantly for companies who want to reduce their employment costs and don't need specialized staff for critical initiatives.</li><li>On-demand talent platforms: Provide employers access to candidates with the best qualifications who can start working immediately. Perfect for companies who are looking to hire a remote worker right now.</li></ol>

Some individuals confuse hiring additional workers with outsourcing. Nonetheless, there are significant differences between these two hiring approaches. First, you must give the complete project to an outside party for handling when outsourcing. In place of a whole team, staff augmentation is typically utilized when businesses seek specific individuals to increase their ranks to create a project temporarily.You can always employ a staff augmentation consultant to assist with the hiring process, give you insight, and ensure that your business and its information are secured when drafting the contract when you can't pick a staff augmentation model with confidence or the finest one for your particular case isn't obvious. If you want to know more about staff augmentation or how Sourcefirms may assist you, contact us immediately.

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