How to Manage a Team of Remote Software Developers

Ruslan Askarov

When you work with a term of remote software developers, there are many common challenges that managers face. One of the biggest hardships for them is to change their mindset. They need to accept that developers will not be in his/her plain sight. 

This all-new work paradigm demands businesses to come up with new, effective mechanisms. They need meticulously crafted strategies to track the progress of remote workers and eliminate unnecessary workload.

Such mechanisms and strategies will help managers and developers stay productive, regardless of their physical existence. 

Below are some proven strategies that can help you as a manager in managing remote software developers effectively.  

Let’s get started:

• Time Zone Management for Remote Teams

At first, different time zones of employees may seem like an obstacle. But, this can be a great opportunity for you. Just think from a different angle. 

Working in different time zones can be advantageous for business. This is because, in such situations, your business can stay available round the clock. If any developer is ahead of your time zone, you can review his work the same day. Also, you can instantly access and coordinate the next thing.

In contrast, if your developer is behind your time zone, then you can prepare everything s/he may need to accomplish a task. 

Just establish a sound communication system with your team, and things will become easier. 

• Build Personal Connections on a Remote Team

When you work in a physical office with your team, you can walk by someone and catch up with their lives. This is obviously not possible in today’s remote work culture. But developing and maintaining a personal connection with your team members is still equally important. When you are personally connected to your team, every member feels valuable. 

Ditch dull icebreakers and try some new, exciting questions. This can take place during the morning stand-up meeting or even during the onboarding process. Try to have everyone on the team jump on a video call. Seeing each other’s facial expressions and hearing their voice tones helps find common ground easily. 

• Prioritize Communication Channels

Communication is the key! This has become even more true and important when you are working with a team of remote software developers. 

First, you have to understand that no communication channel will work effectively if you don’t put enough effort into your communication skills. This means you should be able to express yourself clearly. Encourage your team members for the same. Communicating online needs to be effective, quick, and concise.

Some great picks for communication channels are chatting, video conferencing, staff meetups, and emails. Note that one channel that works for one team may not work well for you. So, it can be a trial-and-test process in the beginning. Stick to the channel that allows for the best communication among team members.

What are the best conditions for hiring remote developers?

The best conditions for hiring remote developers are when you want your business operation and are comfortable working with remote teams. 

Read on to know more about this:

What companies hire remote programmers?

The quickest answer to this question is – most of the companies out there! These include product-based companies, app-making organizations, IT companies, etc. 

As this is slightly unsafe to go outside, most companies are allowing people to work from anywhere. Remote gigs offer many benefits to people – no dress code, reduced distractions, increased flexibility, and no need to commute. So, because of all these perks, a lot of software developers are willing to work remotely. 

It is great news for companies who want to hire remote employees. They have access to a bigger pool of skilled and talented computer programmers than ever before. 

What are the benefits of hiring a remote developer?

The shift to remote culture really isn’t as challenging as it may appear in the beginning. From a significant increase in employees’ productivity to drastically reduced overhead costs, the benefits of hiring remote developers are awesome. Let’s take a look at the top benefits of working with remote workers:

• More Productive Employees

Remote developers tend to be more productive when compared to in-office programmers. They work from different locations in a highly relaxed and comfortable environment. This gives them more time to explore creative project ideas that certainly adds to the project’s success.

• Reduced Infrastructure Costs

When it comes to remote computer programmers, you have the benefit that you won’t need to expand anything. Just provide salaries and some perks, and you are done! Remote teams don’t need desks or other office stuff. This saves a lot on infrastructure costs. 

• More Work in the Same Duration of Time

If being a software company, you hire more remote workers, they do more at the same time. Hire skilled remote developers who can handle projects efficiently. This helps a lot in the company’s overall development. As workers connect to the company, both – the company and the workers – grow. 

How to organize work with remote developers

To be honest, software development is challenging, especially when you are working with a team of remote developers. 

By following the below-listed tips, you can easily organize and manage remote developers:

• Set clear rules for cooperation among team members. Everyone on the team should be aware of their role, challenges, and objectives associated with the project. 
• Follow the meeting calendar. Consider different time zones of your team members and work a successful meeting schedule that is convenient to everyone. 
• Simplify your communication strategy. As mentioned above, communication is critical for the success of any company or project. So, make sure you keep it simple and effective. Come up with clear, distinct, and ideal instructions in writing and circulate them. 

In addition, have a lot of face time whenever possible. Treat your teams like a real team, not like a remote team.

Solutions to track productivity of remote developers

Fortunately, there are many excellent and success-oriented productivity tracking tools for remote developers. One of the best ones is Monitask.

Monitask is an easy-to-use employee monitoring software program. It helps managers, employers, and supervisors to monitor their remote developers for each of their activities.

Some of its top features or functions include the following:

• Remote employee monitoring
• Employee time tracking
• Employee productivity software
• Project and task tracking
• Online timesheets
• Clock-in and clock-out board
• View employees screenshots
• Computer monitoring/Tracking websites and apps
• Detailed summary and custom reports

Monitask is an excellent tool for businesses operating in all industries. These include agency, education, consulting, creative business, e-commerce, and many more. 

Wrapping up

Hopefully, you now have answers to all your questions when it comes to managing remote software developers. With just a little effort and a software tool like Monitask, you can manage your remote developers effectively.

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