Five tips for managing a remote workforce

Big corporations like Amazon, Starbucks, and Uber may be pushing employees back to the office, but that doesn’t mean the same approach works for all companies.

Within the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) community, not all businesses can benefit from remote work. However, for those SMEs where remote work continues to offer significant advantages such as lower overheads, access to a broader talent pool, and greater flexibility for staff, there needs to be clear guidelines in place. 

Making remote work effective takes more than a solid internet connection. If you're considering a flexible work model, here are five practical tips to help you get the most out of your remote team.

Set clear expectations from the outset

Remote work doesn’t mean working without structure. If anything, structure becomes more important.

That starts with setting clear expectations for working hours and accessibility, communication norms, deadlines and outputs. Everyone in your team should understand what’s expected of them – not only in terms of tasks, but also how and when to deliver them.

This doesn’t mean micromanaging. It’s about giving your team the clarity they need to take ownership of their work.

Make sure team members understand how their individual work contributes to broader business goals. A sense of purpose drives accountability and results.

Use the right tools for communication and collaboration

Working remotely shouldn’t feel like working in isolation. To stay connected, you need tools that suit your business’s size, style and needs.

Some options to consider are:

• A communication platform (like Microsoft Teams or Slack)
• A project management tool (like Trello, Asana or Monday.com)
• A cloud-based file-sharing system (like Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox)

Make sure everyone knows how to use the tools you’ve chosen and keep them streamlined – too many platforms can create confusion. 

Prioritise outcomes, not hours

One of the biggest shifts in managing remote workers is moving from activity-based management to outcomes-based management.

In a traditional office, managers often equate presence with productivity, but that doesn’t translate in a remote environment.

Instead, focus on results. Define key deliverables, agree on timelines, and then give employees the space to work in a way that suits them.

This fosters a culture of trust and ownership - two qualities that are especially important when teams are working independently.

Performance monitoring is still important, but it should be geared towards improvement and support, not control.

Make time for culture and connection

When everyone’s working remotely, casual chats, shared lunches and spontaneous brainstorming sessions disappear.

That’s an undeniable loss, and if you don’t actively replace those touchpoints, your team can start to feel fragmented.

Make time for informal connection.

That could be as simple as a 10-minute virtual “coffee catch-up” on Monday mornings or a “shout-out session” on Fridays to recognise good work. If your team is mostly local, consider hosting occasional in-person meetups or workdays.

If that’s not possible, prioritise building a shared culture online. A connected team is more resilient, more collaborative and more likely to stick with your business long-term.

Review your policies and compliance obligations

Remote work comes with legal and operational implications that SMEs often overlook.

These can include data protection requirements, health and safety rules (even for home offices), and employment policies that reflect flexible work arrangements.

You may need to update your employment contracts, especially if staff are working from locations outside your normal area of operation.

For example, will your insurance or security policies cover remote staff?

Are you clear on what equipment the business must provide versus what employees use personally?

It’s worth consulting a legal or HR adviser to ensure your policies are both fair and compliant.

Jeremy Lang is Managing Director at Business Partners Limited.

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