The pandemic gave rise to remote work, and people have embraced it because of the flexibility that comes with it. However, a challenge that organisations have to deal with is team communication. Tech companies especially are struggling to maintain collaboration and communication within the teams. In the remote tech industry, effective communication is crucial to deliver the project on time, and to ensure the tech teams stay aligned and connected throughout, even when they are miles away.
It then becomes the task of the leader to forge effective communication among remote tech teams to keep everyone on the same page. A strong leader should not only promote clear communication channels but also encourage collaboration and work towards a common company objective. In this article, we will discuss the best ways to improve remote team communication and five crucial roles of leadership in forging effective communication among remote tech teams.
Set clear expectations:
When tech teams are working remotely, it becomes crucial for leaders to set clear communication expectations. Leaders can make use of communication channels such as email communication or work messaging apps such as Slack that promote asynchronous communication within the team. Leaders have to be vigilant and hold daily standups to share work updates and regular progress.
These communication channels help employees understand company goals and keep them aligned with these goals. Team leaders can enable a positive and open work environment that encourages open dialogues and collaboration between remote tech teams.
One important thing is ensuring that the team leaders communicate clearly about meetings, project deadlines, and protocols for reporting progress regularly. This helps team members stay organised and productive and enhances communication without hassle.
Make use of technology:
As the world has gone digital over the last few years, modern technology has made its mark in almost all fields of life, from business to education and more. Even in remote work, technology allows us to be more productive while reducing our workload. For remote tech teams, leaders can help improve communication by encouraging the use of modern technology.
Technology can help automate communication processes which, as a result, saves us a lot of time and resources while increasing efficiency within the remote teams. For example, automated email responses about project deadlines or meetings can be sent to team members as reminders.
Moreover, with apps like Slack, Trello, or Google meetings, team members can easily communicate, share screens, schedule meetings, share ideas, get inspiration, and collaborate on projects. More tech advancements such as cloud storage and remote access software help store project information on cloud technology, and members can access everything remotely. Hence, both team leaders and employees can have access to updates and project progress that enables them to become more productive and efficient.
Build transparency among the team:
Transparency is crucial in remote work settings, particularly in the tech industry. When team leaders build a transparent work environment, it gives them several advantages such as:
Build trust by putting efforts into creating open communication.
Encourage open dialogue so that employees can share their thoughts and ideas.
Reduce conflicts and creates a harmonious workplace setting.
Improve the decision-making process as transparency gives employees a better understanding of the reasoning behind decisions.
Enhance accountability about actions and decisions of team members and leaders alike and improves manager engagement.
Leaders must be transparent, open, and honest during communication and promote it to build trust within the remote team.
Provide consistent feedback:
Providing regular feedback plays a huge role in forging effective communication within remote tech teams. The team's overall progress toward the project's goals should be tracked, as well as the progress of individual team members. Leaders should also encourage team members to provide feedback on their work and identify areas for improvement.
By doing so, any problems may be found early on, and the project can avoid delays or obstacles. This will encourage communication and allow for a more productive and efficient work environment.
Foster a positive culture.
Finally, leaders must foster a positive culture within the digital workspace of the tech teams. This can be achieved through team-building activities, virtual social events, and encouraging team members to collaborate and work together. Additionally, leaders should recognize team members' achievements and provide opportunities for professional development. Fostering a positive culture can help keep team members motivated and engaged, enabling them to work more effectively as a team.
What to Avoid When Forging Effective Communication Among Remote Tech Teams?
Never try to micromanage your tech teams. Use communication apps and software to set expectations and create to-do lists and let your team do the work on their own.
Don’t ask for constant communication, as it can shift the focus from work. Instead, use an asynchronous communication approach for remote tech teams.
All communication should be for a specific purpose. Don’t send useless messages and expect the employees to communicate.
Don’t forget to time meetings and speakers to prevent taking up too much of your teams’ time.
Conclusion:
Effective communication is the most important factor in determining remote tech teams' success. Leaders play a crucial role in forging effective communication for remote tech teams. The above-mentioned leader roles and strategies help remote teams to collaborate, stay productive, achieve project objectives, and communicate effectively.
Guest Author
Bash Sarmiento is a writer and an educator from Manila. He writes laconic pieces in the education, lifestyle and health realms. His academic background and extensive experience in teaching, textbook evaluation, business management and traveling are translated in his works.
