Remote Teams Equal Success in the Digital Age: Here’s How to Get Started

A decade ago, the idea of working from home was just a pipe dream to many. Companies were under the illusion that they had to have their thumb on the pulse of everything that happened in order for employees to stay productive. As we have learned since the start of the pandemic, this is not the case, and having a remote team may put you in a better position to achieve success as a small business owner.

From Miller IP Law, keep reading for insight on how to assemble a team that’s right for you. But first, here are two things you should commit to before you put out a call for employees:

• Establish your LLC. Forming an LLC or other legal business structure is an important step toward becoming a respected and “legitimate” business. The information needed for your LLC, including your EIN, will help you keep track of your employee payments while also creating a flexible management structure. Make sure to check the different rules in your state so that you can form online without an attorney if you are looking to save money.

• Offer competitive pay and benefits. Even though your team has the benefit of working from home, you have to offer a competitive salary as well as health benefits if you want to attract the top talent.
• Have the right payroll software. Choosing to invest in high-quality small business payroll software makes it easy to ensure that your team gets paid on time. It’s a worthwhile investment that both you and your employees and freelancers will appreciate.

How to Build Your Team

Once you get your business structure and know what you’re willing to pay, you have to decide on how you want your remote structure to look. These might be locals that work from home and come into the office periodically. Another option is to hire both domestically and from other countries. According to immigration law firm Ford Murray, there are many benefits to having an international workforce. These include filling in skills gaps and bringing in new perspectives.

Next, put some thought into your recruitment process. Look for people who are experts in their field and, most importantly, are excellent communicators. Dr. Laureen Wilson says that you can get in touch with your own communication skills by taking a test that evaluates your listening and emotional management skills. But, you can also have your potential employees take this type of test so that you can get a better idea if they are a good fit for your needs.

Even after you have chosen employees, you’ll need to be clear on exactly what you expect of them. If you require specific working hours, for example, make sure they know this from the beginning. Many people mistake remote work for a freelance position, so it’s crucial that your team knows that work hours are not flexible as they would be if they worked for themselves. This doesn’t mean that you can’t give your employees some leeway, but that they know when they are expected to be available.

You must also decide on how you will stay in touch with your team throughout the day.  This could be a Zoom meeting each morning or through collaborative work using an online platform. Microsoft partner Sherweb explains that programs, like Google Docs, make it easy to work together. Further, working on the cloud is often more secure and means that you can collaborate in real-time so there’s no lag between decision and action.

Your remote team is a crucial component of your business’s success. By putting some thought into the process and giving them the tools they need to work where they are, you will establish a team that will help your business grow and scale when success comes to call.

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