Remember the 2020 pandemic? It forced businesses to shut down their premises and operate remotely. The pandemic is long gone, but remote work is here to stay. In its recent research, the Pew Research Center has estimated that roughly 22 million people in the U.S. aged 18 and above work from home all the time.
Another research revealed that the number of women with children in the workforce rose to 70.4% in June 2023 from 68.9% before the pandemic. Remote and flexible working is believed to be a big factor in allowing mothers to juggle both their careers and parenthood.
Working from home as a subordinate is one thing. But working as a manager is a whole different story. It isn’t easy managing a team remotely, especially when you’re also a mother. However, here we’ll outline a few tips that will help you excel in managing your remote team while maintaining a harmonious household.
#1 Create a Structured Routine
Balancing the demands of family life with professional responsibilities as a working mom isn’t easy. But a structured routine will help you do that efficiently. Make sure you create one for yourself. Your routine must have specific start and end times for work. This will help you maintain a clear boundary between professional and personal time.
To create a structured routine, identify your peak productivity hours first. For many working moms, early mornings or late evenings are times when they can focus on work without interruptions. That is because the household is quieter during these times. Plan your most critical tasks during these periods.
Digital tools like Trello or Google Calendar can be of great help. Make use of them. You can outline your day and schedule work tasks, team meetings, and family activities. Break down your work into manageable chunks and take breaks regularly to maintain productivity and avoid burnout.
#2 Check-in, But Not Too Much
Daily check-ins are important when you’re managing a remote team but avoid micromanaging. It’s crucial to find the right balance when it comes to duties, tasks, responsibilities, and desired outcomes of your team.
Schedule periodic check-ins—whether team meetings or one-on-one calls—to address concerns, discuss progress, and provide necessary support. Keep the meetings concise to avoid overwhelming your team members. Use video conferencing tools like Zoom for meetings and Slack for instant messaging.
Ask your team members to keep you posted on their projects. Encourage your team members to discuss issues or ask questions during scheduled check-ins. This will foster a collaborative environment while letting you track your team’s progress without limiting autonomy.
#3 Facilitate Training
Managing a remote team is very different from managing an in-house team. It’s important to equip your team with the skills they need to perform their tasks efficiently. Training your employees, therefore, is important to build their knowledge and skills.
Identify the training needs of your team members before you facilitate training. Conduct one-on-one meetings or surveys to understand individual learning needs. You can then design targeted training programs to address gaps and enhance their competencies.
Create presentations, videos, interactive modules, quizzes, and assessments to train your employees. The content should be engaging and relevant and align with your training objectives. Also, structure the content logically. Organize it into modules or courses, so employees can easily navigate it.
To share the content with your employees, implement an LMS or learning management system. An LMS platform, Bites explains, serves as a single location for all of your e-learning modules, allowing employees to access the training materials they require whenever they need them.
You can assign relevant courses based on their skill levels, departments, or roles to ensure everyone receives training tailored to their needs. An LMS will also allow you to monitor your employees’ progress.
When choosing an LMS, go for an easy-to-use platform. Share with your employees an LMS implementation guide to teach them how to use the platform to access the training materials. You can also provide training sessions or tutorials to familiarize them with the LMS interface and functionalities. This way, they won’t face trouble when accessing the training material.
#4 Set Clear Boundaries
One of the biggest downsides of working from home is that it blurs the line between personal and professional life. If you were to work from an office, your mind wouldn’t be diverted to household chores or kids.
When you’re managing a team remotely, setting clear boundaries is important. You must separate your work and personal hours to avoid burnout and enjoy family moments uninterrupted.
Communicate your availability to your team members. This will help you establish boundaries when you are reachable for work-related matters and when you need dedicated family time.
Set up a designated workspace in one corner of your home, like a basement or spare bedroom, where you can focus on work without distraction. A quiet area in your home will also do. This physical boundary will separate your work and home zones, allowing you to establish a healthy balance between your professional and personal life.
To wrap things up, navigating the dual roles of a working mom leading a remote team is challenging. But the right strategies can help you excel in both. These tips will help you create a harmonious balance between your professional responsibilities and family life, so follow them.
Remember, it’s not about perfection but finding what works best for you and your team. Also, embrace flexibility, prioritize self-care, and seek support when needed. Rest assured that you will achieve fulfillment in both your career and family life.
