How to cultivate a high-functioning team in a remote-based environment

The future of work is rapidly evolving, with more companies adopting a remote-first approach. The pandemic has undoubtedly led to significant changes in the way employees work and, more importantly, where that work is being done, according to Myles Lawlor.

According to Australian HR Institute research, 62 per cent of employers believe that offering remote work improves their ability to attract and retain staff. The data also indicates 43 per cent of employers report that remote working improves organisational productivity. Overall, the findings highlight the future of remote work is here to stay, whether business leaders want to embrace it or not.

The shift towards sustainable remote-based work environments is tied to employers putting employees at the centre, supporting people, and changing lifestyles. To stay on top of this shift, trust is a key foundation for remote working success. When team members can trust their leaders and peers, they are more likely to be willing to collaborate and maintain relationships that impact culture, motivation, and productivity.

I am a champion of remote working and always will be. Montu offers a supportive remote-based work environment with nearly 1,000 employees in Australia. Today’s employees prioritise flexible working arrangements, and organisations that fail to adapt risk losing talent to competitors who do.

Here are my top five reasons to cultivate high-functioning virtual teams:

1. Build trust

In my opinion, this is the most important tip for building a high-performance virtual team. Research by the American Psychological Association shows that organisations with high levels of trust report up to 50 per cent higher productivity and significantly higher employee engagement. Trust creates a sense of safety, allowing team members to take risks, collaborate effectively, and contribute their best work.

To build trust in remote teams, I encourage my team members to communicate openly and be transparent about goals, expectations, and the importance of compliance. Providing regular feedback and delegating tasks and responsibilities is also very important. As a leader, make sure to celebrate wins and acknowledge failure. This creates a high-performing culture of continuous improvement and support.

2. Two-way communication is key

The importance of communication cannot be overlooked when it comes to remote working environments. Effective communication is crucial for seamless collaboration, as it helps team members build trust, stay aligned, and feel connected despite the physical distance. Clear communication ensures everyone understands their roles and responsibilities, leading to a high-functioning and driven team.

Montu champions a patient-first approach with high standards for safety and access; this shared value motivates employees with a collective goal to drive positive outcomes every day. To implement this, I recommend businesses organise regular catch-ups where senior leadership communicates company updates, performance, and future goals.

To build trust and remain patient-centred in what we build for our core platform, we place our teams as close to the patient as possible. We aim to remove all layers of feedback and have this come directly from the patient. This patient feedback loop gives our teams the opportunity to build what is most needed rather than assuming what patients want. The most effective and valuable way to build is to listen to our patients – that way, the team can cater our designs in an informed and scalable way.

To promote effective communication within remote teams, I schedule regular check-ins to stay updated on progress and address any issues. The act of doing the work itself should also generate the information needed for managers or customers to understand what is going on. Reports should not be an abstraction of the work, but created as a product of the work. As an organisation, Montu encourages open communication, accountability, and active listening to avoid misunderstandings and foster a supportive atmosphere where everyone can learn and thrive.

3. Invest in your employees’ personal development

Providing your employees with continuous training and development opportunities to grow is crucial. To genuinely cultivate a productive and satisfied remote team, you need to engage your employees and give them a sense of confidence that you and the organisation are investing in their career growth and development.

Virtual employees and teams have evolved into an essential part of the contemporary business landscape. They empower organisations to access and promote exceptional talent, irrespective of their geographical location. As a virtual leader, and with over 20 years in leadership roles, I constantly seek out and implement best practices for effective team management.

Our staff, regardless of location, are broken into small value-based teams. These teams are responsible for the value they produce, and the nature of the small teams means the teams themselves hold each other accountable. The teams themselves will raise the value of the individual and manage their ideal path to growth. If team members identify an individual who may thrive in other departments or roles, they are welcome to explore this as an internal movement for three months or permanently.

4. Provide the right tools for your team

Effective online collaboration begins with providing your employees with access to the right tools and technology. Without these tools, remote teams would struggle to maintain the same levels of efficiency and productivity that they would have in a traditional office setting. Online workers require top-notch and dependable tools to ensure a seamless workflow and uninterrupted work process, as well as fostering teamwork and collaboration.

At Montu, we provide our employees with the latest communication applications, video conferencing systems, project management platforms, and new technology to successfully complete their work.

For example, in the virtual workplace, the “water cooler” moments are no longer a reality, and the nuances of small talk and unstructured thoughts are lost. The idea of a productive meeting, by default, is now structured with an agenda and next steps or outcomes. To recreate the “water cooler” moments in a virtual environment, our teams are encouraged to use our internal communication tools to call each other or their team leaders, organise virtual hangouts to build relationships, have quick moments to catch up, and be unstructured – this is a necessary and valuable way to ensure collaboration and productivity.

5. Leadership

Strong leadership is critical for remote teams to function effectively, as it provides the necessary guidance and support to ensure team members stay motivated and productive. I feel that remote leaders need to possess specific skills to manage their teams effectively, including setting clear expectations, providing regular feedback, and communicating openly and honestly.

It is also very important for remote team leaders to be adaptable, use their emotional intelligence, and adapt their behaviour to match the work styles of different employees to amplify people and their performance. As leaders, we must be able to pivot quickly, make decisions with uncertainty, and constantly come up with new approaches to solve complex problems.

In conclusion, building high-performance remote teams is both a necessity and a challenge in today’s complex and increasingly connected world. I truly believe that with the right strategies in place, remote teams can transcend geographical boundaries and harness the power of collaboration to drive innovation, achieve their goals, and redefine the future of work.

Myles Lawlor is the head of technology and product at Montu.