6 Strategies for Leading Remote Teams in 2024

Remote SaaS jobs have significantly become more normalized and common in the last decade. Industries experienced a huge change in technological advancements and they prefer remote teamwork now.

SaaS managers have now experienced that when they are leading remote teams efficiently, the work can be enhanced significantly through strategic and balanced collaboration. Industries can achieve success through effective and efficient leadership.

5 Factors that impact remote teams in SaaS companies

Here are some of the factors that impact remote teams in SaaS companies.

1. Company and team size

If a manager is dealing with a larger remote team, there is a demand for a strategic management plan to achieve efficiency and effectiveness in their work. Managers have to get the work done through others by allocating tasks and resources and supervising collaboration.

If the managers are dealing with larger teams or groups, they must have a clear hierarchy or chain of command. The managers have to continuously supervise performance to be safe from any significant deviance.

Whereas, in smaller groups, the managers can opt for open communication and easily change tasks based on market needs and trends. However, smaller teams can face challenges in team skills. Therefore, managers need to have in-depth studies and then implement strategies based on the company and team size.

2. Technologies for remote work

Now, due to continuous advancements, SaaS companies and managers must have advanced tools for the work. Managers can handle remote teams through tools like shared documents and teamwork.

With the help of video conferencing, remote teams can work through face-to-face interactions, which will eventually help in relationship building. SaaS managers who are leading remote team should provide cloud-based storage so that documents can easily retrieve data and files from any geographical location.

SaaS managers should also be able to allocate tasks and resources based on the individual's capabilities. Savvy managers should be updated by all the advancements so that they can manage teams that can cater to Savvy and fast-paced market trends.

To be more eco-conscious and cost-effective as well, a company can consider safe IT asset disposal when upgrading technology or gadgets like laptops and computers to reduce e-waste and minimize expenses.

3. Virtual Communication

Leading remote teams require effective communication is key as you are not interacting physically. The mode of communication should be effective.

As there is a barrier of location, managers use a variety of communication channels, such as video conferencing and messages. Meetings should be held regularly or in a week to have stable collaboration and emphasize timely work completion.

Additionally, the managers should encourage open communication so that the team members can express what they feel without any hesitation and actively give them feedback. With these factors, managers can actually communicate with teams ultimately resulting in better productivity.

4. Nature of work

The nature of the work of the SaaS companies can be either software development and updates or product management. In both cases, remote teams require innovation in the work.

So certain work requires effective communication and coordination. Managers also need to deal with the allocated part where they do not only need to collaborate but also structure work to balance the individual's skills with the collaboration where they have to ensure that each member can contribute to reaching the organization's goals and objectives.

5. Corporate culture

Corporate culture also impacts the remote teams as the old-style culture was normally built through daily physical interactions. Therefore, remote teams’ managers have to put extra effort into building corporate culture. SaaS managers need to work on the strategies that connect them, such as utilizing a SaaS explainer video to enhance understanding and engagement. Individuals need to be valued, which reinforces their job satisfaction. Managers need to highlight the company's core vision and statements and work towards shared goals. Encouraging a positive setting leads to a sense of belonging. They feel more satisfied and work harder. Managers should also work on building strong and well-connected teams through virtual activities that connect them on a personal level.

How to lead remote teams effectively

There are quite a few ways that you can keep in mind to lead remote teams effectively.

According to a report by Ring Central, different companies like TopTal and Zapier are successfully managing remote teams and promoting a positive work culture too.

Let’s take a look at some ways of leading remote teams and case studies of where they are applied.

1. Establish clear role goals, expectations, and deliverables

Effectively leading remote teams, managers should clearly explain and allocate the roles, expectations of the company, and their tasks for success. They also need to make sure that every individual is aware of their skill set and implementation.

Measure the performance of the team to monitor the progress. As remote work challenges the physical interaction needs, therefore, the remote teams must explain to the bench what they have to achieve ultimately, contributing to effective results.

Toptal is a good example of how remote-friendly teams establish clear goals and then create a collaborative environment with tools like Zoom and Slack. This allows them to deliver on deadlines and meet client expectations successfully.

2. Set up procedures and reporting

SaaS managers should set a strategic and well-structured reporting system. They should explain and give clear guidelines about the company's workflow system. Build benchmarks and ways to achieve those benchmarks.

It helps the individuals in the teams to understand what they have to do and how they have to achieve. It is a great way of achieving maximum productivity as everyone is clear about their roles and work. They perform tasks and progress remotely towards a shared goal.

Zapier is a remote-first company that has defined their reporting procedures clearly. They use communication tools to sync up time zones and increase productivity.

3. Use the right tool for the right job

Remote teams must be equipped with the appropriate or needed technology to perform work. As they are connected virtually, they need contributions from members to achieve goals. Selecting appropriate tools such as project management software, communication tools, and data-sharing platforms to enhance task effectiveness helps a lot. These tools are the backbone for virtual remote work.

They are not only great for performing tasks but also delay deviant behaviors. SaaS managers should also be well aware of all the updates to ensure that their team is not left behind in the changing market trends.

Mural uses their own whiteboard tool to brainstorm ideas, creating plans and strategies. This way, the remote teams effectively reach their goals and ensure deliverables are according to the guidelines of clients.

4. Open communication channels

Clear communication medium must be incorporated by the SaaS managers. Managers may face certain challenges due to their geographical location, which is why they must have a transparent communication medium through which interactions can happen on a personal level.

When managers encourage open communication, it enables them to retain employees as misunderstandings are canceled. When open communication is practiced by SaaS managers, individuals tend to express their thoughts without fear of repercussions, doing so in a respectful manner. Managers should also mind their cultural differences to maintain successful remote work and teamwork.

Groove uses instant messaging tools to boost response times and makes sure that team members are replying to issues or questions immediately. The company has established open communication channels for its employees and management to ensure that problems are resolved efficiently.

5. Keep timings flexible

A manager should tell their team the expectations of companies from them, their working hours, and the deadlines set, but allow them flexibility in their working techniques based on their interests. They should let them get the work done by themselves.

Be a cool manager that allows individuals to enjoy the balance between professional and personal time and avoid disturbing them when it's not their working hours. Adopt flexible timings that are adjusted by the working hours of teams.

Buffer is a great example of this. They help their remote employees maintain a work-life balance by going offline on Slack or using Away messages to inform their team members of their unavailability. This flexibility in timing allows professionals to avoid burnout and keep their pace of productivity.

6. Create a healthy remote work culture

to encourage a healthy work culture, promote and incorporate different communication tools like chats and video calls to keep connected. Take regular breaks to be not over-exhausted and maintain a healthy working style.

Empower your team to work independently to feel trusted. Offer and receive constructive feedback positively and work on them. Virtual team activities must be incorporated to make the relationships stronger.

Hotjar has regular team-building activities that they conduct virtually to maintain a healthy remote work culture. Team members connect on video and communicate with each other outside of work as well. They have Bonfire Wednesdays for employees to catch up and interact with different teams.

Conclusion

In conclusion, SaaS managers play a vital role in leading remote teams through effective leadership. Adopting practices like open and clear communication, flexible working hours, and a healthy work culture leads to success.

Clear instructions not only contribute to the success of work but also satisfy the customers through job satisfaction. In the remote work environment when these things are incorporated positively, it leads to effective results and does wonders for the workforce.