Working Remotely as a Manager
“Even though there are 13,790kms between the directors, I feel closer than ever. Alignment is a continuous process and having weekly meetings keep us on track. It’s important to keep aligning our long-term goals on a regular basis.” – Alecia Du Toit (Creative Director for Modic)
Distance between key role-players in an organisation should not be treated as a barrier.
Although not physically present in the offices or even region, the capacity to execute tasks and plans still happens, even just checking in with the team is viable.
As a firm that operates exclusively through a hybrid working system, we thought that sharing some of our experiences and insights into the matter would be helpful for those in similar circumstances.
The Communication of Ideas
One of the topics we’ve discussed previously in our blog is the alignment of ideals and goals.
When Alecia traveled to Ireland, she took the full extent of our firm’s vision with her.
A crucial aspect to stay in touch with the organisation is keeping in touch with the culture and values of the firm. Although Alecia is in another continent, she still maintains the practices and approaches we execute this side of the pond (of course keeping them in tune with common Irish business practice)
Touching Base
Another aspect that allows our team to stay on par and within “the same room” as one another is the consistent efforts to touch base and communicate.
Our EXCO team is continuously prioritising alignment meetings either in person or via video meetings.
As leaders and managers of various projects and departments within the firm, it’s imperative to communicate the status of projects, clients as well as those working on these projects.
Through these meetings, the EXCO team can leverage resources, execute strategies and make decisions on behalf of the firm both in South Africa and in Ireland.
Technology is Your Friend
Hybrid work schedules and technology work hand in hand. With the added circumstance of distance within the mix, the addition of technological resources only makes more sense.
From Microsoft teams to WhatsApp groups, the communication channels between teams remain open and constant.
Other useful applications include WeTransfer (for the transfer of large files), impressively sized Cloud-based Drives, and of course, an online project management software tool that keeps everyone up to date with tasks and processes.
As a firm predominantly focused on leveraging technology, it makes sense that the inclusion of such resources is prevalent in our firm.
To Sum It Up
Distance is not a barrier unless you allow it to be.
Most often, firms leave overseas managers to their own devices.
In order to ensure the success of these international ventures, it’s crucial to stay in touch and assist where you can.
Resources in a hybrid work environment are not limited to a physical location.
Provide help where necessary and you’ll see success at a different level.
