statistics. That means that there are now more distributed teams than ever.
Start-ups are embracing the trend of hiring remotely and are trying to build strong and stable distributed teams. But, this is only possible with strong company culture and the right tools to support their growth.
Below, we’ll discuss how start-ups can empower their remote teams using the right collaborative tools and strategies.
Image taken from Pexels
Diversity & Efficient Recruitment
With remote work being on the rise, changes are happening on all levels of the start-up business hierarchy - from the people in search of jobs to HR managers, recruiters, and CEOs.
The search for talent globally is different from what it used to be, and here are the two main reasons:
- remote work created a global market for people in search of jobs, not limiting them physically or geographically
- more people are quitting their jobs and looking for better opportunities globally
This means that start-ups can dive into the global talent pool and find the diverse, unique, and smart people they weren't able to reach before. This can strengthen their teams and find the missing pieces of the puzzle to empower and improve their team efficiency.
But, start-ups also need to be careful and think about ways to retain this workforce. So, what can they do to keep their employees happy?
Improving Team Collaboration
The only way to make your distributed team highly efficient and productive is to create a culture of collaboration. Luckily, there are team collaboration tools that have bridged the gap between team members and their superiors who are working from different locations.
Tools like Slack, Trello, Google Workspace, and Google Chat are among the most prominent ones.
So, what should start-ups use these tools for?
- create stable communication channels for all team members equally
- allow important data access anytime and anywhere
- prevent the feeling of isolation among employees
With all the team members gathered in one place, they’ll all have access to the same data and project information, and the same opportunity to communicate with others freely.
This will contribute to a culture of collective decision-making and empower the team on different levels.
Automating Operations
Another way that team collaboration tools are empowering remote teams in start-ups is through operations automation. Start-ups need to be careful about the load of work they assign to their teams. If the daily workflow becomes overwhelming, two things are bound to happen:
- the overall productivity of the team will decrease
- team members will start looking for better-organized and less stressful workplaces
Luckily, most team collaboration tools help automate daily operations and lower the pressure on individual team members. Instead of manually doing repetitive tasks, they’ll be able to focus on the tasks that truly demand human intervention.
Structuring Communication
Distributed teams need to understand the culture of communication that the start-ups are imposing and trying to deliver. But, they need structure and well-organized communication sessions to do so.
Therefore, start-ups need to create structure around their team communication and help them embrace the company culture. This means:
- scheduling regular team meetings and video calls
- allowing team check-ins
- sending and receiving regular feedback
- having live team chats
With regular daily, weekly, or monthly meetings, team members will know what to expect and when to be ready to speak up or actively engage in important discussions.
Final Thoughts
Yes, the post-pandemic start-up market is hugely different from what we had before the outbreak. In the new normal, start-ups need to use the right tools that will help them build and then empower their distributed teams. This empowering needs to be ongoing and constant to increase talent retention for good.
Hopefully, we’ve helped you understand what it takes to have a strong team of satisfied and productive employees.