How do you support or train your remote managers?
Company Interview with Fraser, Global Head of Marketing at AnswerConnect
Training can be as simple as sharing new employees into the best practices, which we provide through our shared learning platform AdaptiveU.
Our team is completely distributed across multiple continents, so we tend to err on the side of over-communication. Our HR Managers dedicate time to helping new employees adjust, and I find the sooner you can convey the communication culture to them, the better they are at adapting to it.
It’s about creating a shared culture, where everyone can contribute and collaborate. That means engendering trust, transparency, and accountability, and we try to do that in every communication.
Friday newsletters, instant access to HR, & the use of GIFs in comms, Fraser and the AnswerConnect team could write a book on remote work best practices. Check out the process of how they make it all work.
Read full interview from Company Interview with Fraser, Global Head of Marketing at AnswerConnect.
Company Interview with Maxime, Co-founder and CTO of Digicoop
So far, we've never had to train anybody. We are a small team and a worker cooperative. Everybody is encouraged to take control of their role. When hiring, we make sure to select profiles compatible with our mindset: former freelancers, entrepreneurs, etc...
From making employees shareholders to letting workers take control of their roles, Maxime describes Digicoop's path to remote success.
Read full interview from Company Interview with Maxime, Co-founder and CTO of Digicoop.
Company Interview with Corine, co-founder of Sike Insights
We haven’t had the chance to hire any managers yet, but thankfully the work we’ve put on our EQ platform for remote managers has made manager training a really straight path. We’ll definitely invest in EQ, mindfulness, and leadership training.
Class is in session! Corine and her team have been studying how to incorporate remote work in their startup for months. Learn about the effective remote work practices she and the team are implementing in their new company.
Read full interview from Company Interview with Corine, co-founder of Sike Insights.
Company Interview with Tricia, CEO of BELAY
As more organizations move toward remote workforces, leaders must remain agile in modifying the way they lead and delegate.
It’s important for leaders to set expectations early, define availability, clearly explain goals, meet frequently, and communicate effectively.
When leaders can demonstrate these attributes to their next generation of managers and leaders, I truly believe they set a foundation for success.
For 10 years, BELAY has been a 100% remote work company. CEO, Tricia, shares the tools that keep them thriving and how boundaries & expectations contribute to their success.
Read full interview from Company Interview with Tricia, CEO of BELAY.
Company Interview with Jan, founder and CEO of Rainmaker Solutions
We have regular calls and video meetings and also utilise Slack and G-Suite for effective collaboration. We have online material and, of course, policy and governance in place to support these working practices. Most importantly, it is built into our culture.
Remote work is built into Rainmaker Solutions' DNA. See the beliefs that push this company forward & check out their virtual activities that are building organizational trust.
Read full interview from Company Interview with Jan, founder and CEO of Rainmaker Solutions.
Company Interview with Sharon Koifman, CEO of DistantJob
First of all, by being a human who cares about personal things as much as about the work-related tasks, I encourage my managers to know the name of the pet of their employees and their hobbies.
Second, I focus on creating a mistake friendly environment where my managers are comfortable picking up the pieces.
I train them to be good listeners and to be approachable, and if they don't have enough time for that, to communicate well with their team and not get angry. I do a lot by example, and the rest of our employees get to see in meetings how the manager can challenge me and tell me everything freely and honestly.
There is a continuous reminder that employees can offer as much input as they want. I teach constructive conflict, which is a tough skill to get. How do you argue constructively without taking it personally? My managers need to become experts at it because I need them to be all in during brainstorm sessions without offending each other.
With DistantJob, Sharon has created a mistake-friendly environment where managers lead by example. See his tips for building trust and security among his remote teams.
Read full interview from Company Interview with Sharon Koifman, CEO of DistantJob.
Company Interview with Tammy, CEO of Workplaceless, and a remote work leader
We onboard all of our team members through our Workplaceless training programs: a Workplaceless Remote Work Certification to all team members during the onboarding process and a Leadplaceless virtual leadership training for our remote managers. Additionally, we provide a professional development stipend to employees.
Lifelong learning is one of our fundamental values, and we are always finding new ways to live into this value internally, from skills showcases to post-conference share-outs.
With Workplaceless, Tammy helps companies start off on the "right remote foot." Hear how her 100% remote team stays in sync, and how she keeps her employees engaged
Read full interview from Company Interview with Tammy, CEO of Workplaceless, and a remote work leader.
Company Interview with Brad, co-founder and CEO of WebDevStudios
All new hires go through a standard onboarding process. This includes learning and working with the various tools and services we use on a daily basis.
Our engineers will actually build out a small feature set and interact with their training lead as if they were a client.
We also utilize online training through LinkedIn Learning. They have a massive library of online courses you can take in a variety of topics, including management.
A challenging time finding talented local employees gave Brad the idea to make WebDevStudios 100% remote—hear about his strategies for creating a healthy remote work culture.
Read full interview from Company Interview with Brad, co-founder and CEO of WebDevStudios.
Company Interview with Jan Fex, CEO of DotDee Digital
While all our devs are Vietnamese, all our team tech leads are Westerners living in South East Asia. The Western tech leads all come with strong developer backgrounds but have, for various reasons, branched out into tech project management.
Initially, they have to sit-in with a team and observe the daily activities as to get familiar with the routines and then are eventually given their own team after they (and we) feel confident about the proceedings.
A three-hour work commute motivated Jan to establish a full-on remote work arrangement for his company. What have been the benefits & challenges? See his takeaways!
Read full interview from Company Interview with Jan Fex, CEO of DotDee Digital.
Company Interview with Devin, CEO of Animalz
We have the same documentation and meetings with folks on the team as you would if we were co-located. Those meetings are just held via Zoom.
- Every new hire has an onboarding buddy. Someone who will answer their questions and will support them through onboarding.
- Meet with key members of the leadership team to understand company mission, vision, values, goals, structure, etc.
- Meet with other managers to get acquainted with their peers.
- Go through strategist training (several weeks)
How do you keep remote teams motivated? Devin, CEO of Animalz, shares her tips for how leaders can avoid demotivation and her hopes for the future of remote work.
Read full interview from Company Interview with Devin, CEO of Animalz.