There is an increasing shift to remote work and with this shift away from the traditional work setting arises a problem for business owners- Maximizing remote team collaborations.
In this article, you will be getting tips that will help you get the best from your remote team collaboration with SaaS software. Let’s dive in.
Identify your needs
First on the list and the most important. Truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to using SaaS software for your team. It all begins with knowing what you want. Identify your business need and think of how using SaaS software will help you meet that need.
A good way to do this is by asking questions such as, how frequently do I need to communicate with my team? what type of documents will I be sharing with my team? how much am I willing to spend? For instance, a solo founder might choose Google Meet over Zoom because of cost.
Choose the Right Software
Use tools that are designed for remote collaboration and will meet the specific needs of your team. Here are some options to choose from:
- Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom
- Project management: Asana, Trello, Jira
- File sharing and storage: Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive
- Video conferencing: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams
- Document collaboration: Google Docs, Microsoft Office 365
Provide Thorough Training
To achieve an effective collaboration, you have to ensure that your team members are on the same knowledge level. Provide training for your team members, don't assume they know how to use the tools. Walk new members through how to use the tools and provide learning materials, and videos where necessary.
Let your team members know if there are any customized features available. Be clear on how you want them to use the software to achieve your team goals
Create a central hub for communication
Staying connected is a serious challenge that comes with having a remote team but the right tools will make things easy. With tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and similar ones you can create a central hub for all communication, streamline collaboration, and track tasks. This will help curb information overload and keep everyone on the same page.
To ensure order in your channel, you can choose a knowledgeable team member as the software administrator. This member will help other team members if the need arises and also ensure guidelines are followed.
Encourage Virtual Team Building
Your workers will thrive and be more productive if the environment is conducive. Although this is not the traditional work environment you can make your virtual space a relaxed one for your team members.
Organize virtual parties, play online games, and encourage open communication. Let the virtual workspace be a place where your workers will be free to express themselves.
Conclusion
Remote work is the future, the best you can do for your business is to know how to get the best from remote teams. The progress at first may slow but by practicing the tips listed in this article, you will notice an improvement in your team productivity. Cheers to your success.