What is a remote team?

A remote team is comprised of individuals working together on a common project or goal but who are physically present in a different location for most or all of the length of the project. Team members may work from home, coworking spaces, or various locations across cities, countries, or even continents. To collaborate, remote teams use online tools such as messengers, video conferencing software, and task management platforms to achieve their goals effectively.

Remote teams rely heavily on trust in every member's ability to accomplish their tasks independently and arrange regular status update meetings to report on current progress and challenges. These teams allow companies to hire a more diverse range of individuals, bringing unique perspectives and experiences that can enhance creativity and problem-solving. While they offer flexibility and cost savings, remote teams also require effective communication and coordination to maintain productivity and cohesion.

What is the difference between a remote team and a virtual team?

The distinction between a remote team and a virtual team lies in how they are structured and operate.

Remote team

Consists of employees working from different physical locations, often from home or other flexible spaces, and they typically belong to the same organization with a unified leadership and shared goals. Focus on maintaining cohesive workflows within a single company with a traditional hierarchy.

Virtual team

May include members from different organizations, departments, or even countries, coming together temporarily or permanently to collaborate on specific projects or objectives. Often rely more heavily on advanced collaboration tools to bridge organizational and cultural differences. Often have a decentralized leadership structure with members reporting to different managers.

Both types of teams rely on digital communication but cater to different levels of integration and purpose. Choosing between them depends on the project's complexity and the need for specialized skills from outside sources.

How do you manage a team remotely?

Managing a team remotely involves clear communication, trust, and effective use of technology to ensure collaboration and productivity. By setting expectations, utilizing tools, and fostering team culture, managers can help remote teams thrive despite the challenges of physical distance. Here are key strategies to consider:

Set clear expectations: Define roles, responsibilities, and deadlines so team members understand their tasks and priorities.
Leverage technology: Use video conferencing tools for meetings and project management platforms to track progress and maintain alignment.
Schedule regular check-ins: Conduct daily or weekly status checks to maintain engagement, address challenges, and share updates.
Foster open communication: Encourage team members to share feedback, ask questions, and collaborate freely to build trust and transparency.
Promote team culture: Celebrate achievements, recognize individual contributions, and support work-life balance to keep the team motivated and connected.

Enji aims to provide remote team management with the information they need to make strategic decisions while offering teams the opportunity to avoid unnecessary video calls and other communication. Several features help them maintain high performance in remote teams, such as:

Copilot: Ask the AI assistant questions about project health and activity for quick updates.
Asynchronous stand-ups: Team members use the Enji bot to create written stand-ups according to the team's outline and schedule.
Summarizer: Receive concise, text-based reports 24/7.
Automated alerts and reminders: Keep teams focused on targets and maintain discipline in their workflows.
Clear metrics: Enji's tools gather metrics on coding activities, comments, and stand-ups to present understandable and readable information in a single dashboard.

How does Enji help to build a strong remote team?

The tools and features Enji provides to remote team managers support disciplined processes and transparency to create a working environment built on trust and performance. Through data collection, all the stakeholders involved in a project receive access to the information they need to know what is happening and to plan for changes:

Maintain focus
Understand resources
Build efficient processes
Identify roadblocks
See when employees may experience burnout
Save time without unnecessary meetings
Allocate time for important tasks and automate others
Optimize report creation

Enji helps remote teams develop trust and build a routine that allows everyone to focus on their work.

Key Takeaways

A remote team includes individuals who work from different physical locations, possibly even from different countries and/or time zones.
Remote teams allow companies flexibility in hiring employees with different experiences and backgrounds.
Effective remote team management involves clear communication, trust, and using technology to streamline collaboration and productivity.
Enji provides remote team leaders with information to make strategic decisions without unnecessary communication.
Enji's tools and features help remote teams maintain disciplined processes and transparency.

Created by

Joseph Taylor

Lead Copywriter

Last updated in November 2024