Managing Remote Teams
Overview
Managing remote teams effectively requires more than providing flexible working arrangements. Without clear expectations, consistent communication and strong team routines, remote teams can experience reduced engagement, inconsistent performance, weaker collaboration and a loss of connection.
This practical half-day course gives managers the confidence, tools and techniques to lead remote teams and hybrid teams successfully. It focuses on the practical challenges of managing remote employees, maintaining accountability across different locations and creating a positive team culture when people are not working together in the same physical space.
The course also examines how managers can improve communication and collaboration within remote teams. Participants will consider how to choose the right communication channels, establish effective meeting practices, create team routines and make purposeful use of both remote and onsite working time. They will also explore common challenges associated with managing remote teams, including isolation, proximity bias, unclear availability, communication gaps and inconsistent approaches to performance management.
Through practical discussion, reflection and workplace-focused activities, participants will assess their current approach to managing remote teams and identify opportunities for improvement. They will develop a clear set of actions that can be applied immediately to strengthen trust, team cohesion, engagement and performance.
This managing remote teams training course is suitable for managers, team leaders and supervisors who are responsible for employees working remotely, across multiple locations or within a hybrid working arrangement. It is ideal for organisations seeking a more consistent, inclusive and productive approach to managing remote teams while ensuring that flexible working supports both employee wellbeing and organisational objectives.
Learning Outcomes:
- Recognise the key factors that influence engagement, performance and effectiveness.
- Adapt their management approach to support individual needs while maintaining clear expectations and accountability.
- Apply practical communication techniques to improve collaboration within remote teams.
- Establish effective team routines that support trust, inclusion and connection.
- Use remote and onsite working time purposefully to support team and organisational goals.
- Identify organisational and cultural factors that can enable or undermine successful remote team management.
- Develop practical actions to improve their approach to managing remote teams.
Agenda
-
Welcome and Introductions
- Understand the aims, structure and intended outcomes of the session.
- Identify personal expectations and current challenges relating to remote and hybrid working.
- Establish a shared context for discussion and learning across the group.
-
Understanding Remote and Hybrid Working
- Define the key characteristics of remote and hybrid working arrangements.
- Recognise the opportunities and challenges different working models can create.
- Assess how remote and hybrid working practices affect individuals, teams and organisations.
-
Supporting Individuals in Remote and Hybrid Teams
- Identify what individuals need to remain engaged, productive and connected when working remotely.
- Apply appropriate approaches for monitoring performance without creating unnecessary oversight.
- Adapt management approaches to balance individual needs with organisational expectations.
-
Break
-
Building Effective Remote and Hybrid Teams
- Identify the behaviours and working practices that strengthen relationships within hybrid teams.
- Apply practical approaches to asynchronous working, communication and collaboration.
- Create greater team cohesion by clarifying the purpose of both remote and onsite working.
-
Creating Organisational and Cultural Alignment
- Recognise how organisational culture influences the effectiveness of remote and hybrid working.
- Identify the policies, expectations and decisions needed to create consistency across teams.
- Consider how leaders and managers can reinforce inclusive and effective hybrid working practices.
-
Action Planning and Next Steps
- Prioritise practical actions that can improve remote and hybrid working within your own context.
- Translate key learning from the session into achievable workplace changes.
- Create clear next steps for strengthening individual, team and organisational effectiveness.
-
Trainer’s final remarks
*Programme subject to change
Get in Touch
Book Now
- Half Day Rate £290 + VAT
Trainer
Gary Cookson
Gary is a father of four and a husband of one, running a successful business, EPIC, in his spare time. He’s an expert on work and workplace performance, with extensive experience leading and directing HR, OD and L&D functions across all sectors. His clients like working with him as he is authentic, honest, knowledgeable, communicative and people focused, with a broad and deep range of skills and experience –a glance at his prolific social media output will verify this.
Gary is a leading expert in the design and delivery of leadership, management and HR/L&D programmes, as well as an inspiring and entertaining keynote speaker. He has been recognised in the HR Most Influential awards, written for publications worldwide and spoken at global events.
He is a multi-published author and one of the worlds’ leading thinkers on the modern world of work. He is in regular demand with clients and conference organisers worldwide as a result, speaking on these topics plus leadership, management and various HR/L&D issues.
