Managing a team remotely

Welcome to another edition of English that works: developing communication skills for everyday interactions. Have you considered saving each week’s article so that you can refer back to the tips and language? Don’t forget to add this week’s useful phrases to your journal!

Supporting and managing a team can be challenging at the best of times but not being able to speak to your team face-to-face adds another layer of complexity.

Not only do we have to find new ways of supporting our teams, we also have to recognise that we are all under additional strain. Focusing on employee well-being has become more important than ever, so think about ways to help your team keep well mentally. You’ll find that reducing feelings of isolation can help prevent disengagement and poor performance.

Here are some suggestions you can try:

Set up a social space: Not going into the office makes socialising with colleagues that much harder. This is a crucial aspect of our working lives; without social interaction we’ll begin to feel isolated and morale can drop. Overcome this by experimenting with different team get-togethers: coffee chats, competitions or
even a Zumba session!

Recognise good performance: Acknowledging achievement is still vital. It can mean a lot to colleagues who may feel that working from home hides all their hard work. Praise good performance by acknowledging it verbally and in writing for a lasting record. Doing this publicly will be a big morale booster too.

Connect with colleagues regularly: This shouldn’t be about checking up on them but ensuring that they are happy and healthy. It’s an opportunity to practise active listening and confirm your team’s working conditions are conducive to good mental and physical well-being.

Link to the bigger picture: Communicating key information is an important role for any team leader but especially vital for remote managers. Make sure that everyone knows what is happening in the wider organisation and what the upcoming goals and priorities are.

Today I’ve focused on using gerunds (the -ing form) as the subject of a sentence. Gerunds function like nouns. For example, the sentences below have the same meaning and the same main verb (‘can be’). But the subjects are different.

1. It can be challenging to support a team remotely.

2. Supporting a team remotely can be challenging.

Look back and see how the phrases in bold act as the subject of the main verb.

Learn more about using the -ing form at https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-grammar-reference/ing-forms.

Your turn! Can you change this suggestion so that it starts with a gerund?

Add video to team calls. It can bring the group closer together.

Share your answer and one more tip starting with -ing at [e-mail].