11 Lessons of Managing Distributed Teams from Top Startups

  • April 15, 2024
  • 10mins read
Esevel - managing distributed teams

The “Hiring and Onboarding Talents Globally in 2024” webinar has delivered valuable insights and experience from seasoned industry leaders Yuying Deng, Brian Ip, Fionna Lee, and Ethan Ang on managing distributed teams.

Feel free to read on or enjoy the full webinar right here 👇

Also from the webinar: 

What Esevel has done to foster distributed team bonds

To manage full-time employees across time zones, Esevel underscores the importance of selecting fit team members. They should exhibit maturity and experience and also share a profound commitment to the organization’s goals. This approach ensures a harmonious alignment with the company’s situation.

Embracing the right fit

On top of everything, Esevel’s strategic focus is hiring individuals inherently suited to remote work’s nuances. This entails prioritizing mature and self-motivated candidates who can navigate the challenges of distributed work responsibly.

Moreover, the company values experience as a critical factor, preferring candidates who bring a wealth of knowledge and can contribute effectively without too much supervision. 

Perhaps most crucially, a palpable passion for Esevel’s mission is a non-negotiable trait, ensuring that every team member is genuinely invested in the collective success and driven by shared values.

Fostering connection through daily standups

To maintain a cohesive remote work culture, Esevel conducts virtual daily standup meetings to ensure consistent communication and team engagement. These brief yet impactful gatherings serve as a platform for team members to share updates, set priorities, and strengthen interpersonal bonds.

Besides, by initiating these sessions with informal conversations, Esevel effectively breaks down virtual barriers, promoting a sense of team bonding, team cohesion, and mutual support.

Prioritizing personal growth with regular check-ins

Esevel prioritizes team members’ personal growth and well-being with frequent one-on-one check-ins. Held monthly and quarterly, these sessions go beyond work topics to explore: 

This holistic approach demonstrates the company’s commitment to employees’ professional development and also fosters a supportive environment where individuals feel valued and understood.

What Omni HR has done to build a stronger company culture

Omni HR’s approach to building a stronger company culture amidst the dynamics of remote work hinges on fostering personal connections and ensuring continuous professional growth.

Cultivating connections through regular check-ins

For Omni HR, maintaining open lines of communication with their team members is a must, irrespective of geographical distance. Regular check-ins are a cornerstone of their strategy, enabling managers and team members to discuss beyond work to personal growth and aspirations.

This practice ensures that every remote employee feels heard and valued, contributing to a more inclusive and supportive company culture.

Esevel - managing distributed teams

Enhancing engagement with weekly team meetings

Weekly team meetings at Omni HR are not just about business updates; they begin with a unique personal sharing segment. This segment invites team members to share something interesting or new they’ve experienced or achieved recently.

Such an initiative adds a personal touch to the meetings, encouraging team members to see each other beyond their professional roles.

Strengthening bonds with physical engagement events

Recognizing the importance of physical interactions in building strong team bonds, Omni HR organizes engagement events in locations where they have a significant team presence.

These events, sponsored by the company, provide a platform for team members to connect face-to-face, share experiences, and build relationships outside of the virtual workspace.

What TurtleTree has done to nurture global teams

TurtleTree’s commitment to nurturing its global teams hinges on deep empathy and personalized engagement. They’ve innovated unique strategies to ensure every team member feels a genuine sense of belonging and appreciation regardless of location.

Embracing empathy in action

At the heart of TurtleTree’s culture lies a profound understanding of empathy. Recognizing fully remote employees’ diverse challenges, the company goes beyond standard professional support.

For instance, when a team member had to relocate due to family reasons, TurtleTree’s gesture of sending a heartfelt, hand-signed card from the entire office not only offered comfort during a challenging period but also reinforced the message that the company cares deeply about its employees’ personal well-being.

Esevel - managing distributed teams

Celebrating life’s milestones

TurtleTree believes in the power of celebrating significant personal milestones. Whether welcoming a new family member or acknowledging personal achievements, the company ensures these moments are recognized and celebrated.

This practice fosters a sense of family among team members, making them feel valued not just for their professional contributions but also as individuals with lives outside work.

Fostering local connections

Understanding the limitations of remote interactions, TurtleTree encourages local team members to meet and engage in person wherever possible. These physical gatherings, supported and sponsored by the company, aim to strengthen bonds and create memories that remote video calls cannot replicate.

Transparent and inclusive communication

Transparency is key in TurtleTree’s approach to maintaining a unified global team. The company ensures every team member is informed and involved in significant business decisions through regular town halls and open forums.

This openness not only demystifies the decision-making process but also empowers employees to feel part of the company’s journey.

Personalized engagement

TurtleTree’s approach to engagement is highly personalized. From thoughtful gifts that cater to individual interests and needs to creating company swag for celebrating collective milestones, the company ensures that each gesture resonates personally with its recipients.

5 trends are anticipated for distributed work in Asia

Embracing regional expansion

A new generation of Asian companies are increasingly looking beyond national borders, aiming to establish a more regional presence. This shift is driven by the need to tap into diverse talent pools across the continent, optimizing for both skills and cost efficiencies.

As businesses adopt a multicountry approach, we’ll likely see a surge in cross-border collaborations and projects facilitated by advanced digital tools that make remote management seamless.

Rising preference for flexible work arrangements

A staggering 70% of employees now prefer flexible work setups, blending remote and office-based work to achieve an optimal work-life balance. This trend underscores a significant cultural shift towards valuing autonomy and personal well-being, compelling companies to reconsider traditional office-centric models.

The hybrid model is expected to dominate, offering a blend of face-to-face interactions for creativity and working from home for focused tasks.

Sustained momentum for distributed work

The momentum for distributed work is not just a temporary response to global challenges but a long-term strategic shift. Companies in higher-cost countries increasingly seek talent-rich, lower-cost regions to build their teams. This approach often extends to specialized roles, such as digital marketing and SEO, where outsourcing to regions with strong expertise, like SEO outsourcing in India, allows companies to maximize quality while managing costs efficiently.

This trend will continue as businesses seek to remain competitive while navigating talent shortages and geopolitical complexities that impact mobility.

Persistent talent challenges and geopolitical dynamics

Talent acquisition and retention remain pivotal challenges exacerbated by geopolitical tensions and policies restricting free movement. Companies must innovate their talent strategies, focusing on upskilling local teams and creating attractive propositions for remote workers. This includes fostering a strong remote work culture and providing clear career progression paths to retain top talent.

Technological advancements enhancing remote work

Ongoing technological advancements will heavily influence the future of remote work in Asia.

Embrace the future with effective distributed team management

Embracing distributed teams presents a unique opportunity for businesses to tap into global talent and foster enormous growth. As advised by top leaders in the webinar, by prioritizing empathy, leveraging technology, and having a strong remote work culture, companies can successfully manage their distributed teams.

As we move forward, if your organization is looking to stay ahead, embracing these changes and adopting best practices for remote team management will be key to success in the global market.

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