How to Manage Distributed Teams

Parabol shares 6 tips for managing distributed teams, including Retrium.

"It hasn’t been long since we first started opening our web browsers. People born in 1994 — the year Netscape Navigator was released — are now 23 years old, and just entering a workforce that looks, acts, and operates differently than any generation prior. The internet hasn’t finished reshaping society. Fully-remote companies are a growing reality as video conferencing becomes more reliable and collaboration software proliferates. Because remote teaming is so new, there is still a lot to figure out.

For companies, hiring great talent where they already live without the risk, expense, time, and trouble of relocation is a powerful draw to hiring remotely. In 2017, the average developer salary in San Francisco is about $150k, 48% above the national average. When you’re a young company, paying competitive salaries elsewhere means you can hire 3 developers remotely instead of 2 in The Bay Area. There are also savings on rent, which can be passed to employees in the form of other perks and incentives.

For employees, remote teams afford a great deal of flexibility and lifestyle diversity. Younger workers can explore the world while building a career. Parents can work at home alongside their children. The state of deep work can be easier to enter (and maintain) without the threat of being interrupted by “fly-bys” from neighboring colleagues.

However, like any choice, there are tradeoffs. Without the benefit of being in the same place, coordination and handoffs can be more difficult. Workers can feel isolated and lonely. Establishing and nurturing a vibrant corporate culture can be harder than when co-located. Here are 7 tactics for building and operating great remote teams:"

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TOPICS: Retrium, Retrospectives, press, distributed teams

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