How to Leverage SharePoint Online to Manage Remote Teams

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many organizations to shift to remote work, and this trend is expected to continue even after the pandemic subsides. While remote work offers many benefits, such as increased flexibility and reduced costs, it also presents unique challenges, such as how to effectively manage teams that are geographically dispersed. Fortunately, SharePoint Online can help organizations overcome these challenges and manage remote teams more effectively. In this post, we’ll explore how to leverage SharePoint Online to manage remote teams.

Set up a Team Site

The first step in managing remote teams in SharePoint Online is to create a Team Site. A Team Site is a dedicated workspace for a team where they can collaborate on projects, share files, and communicate. In SharePoint Online, a Team Site can be created using a template, which includes preconfigured lists, libraries, and web parts that are tailored to the needs of a particular team.

Use the Communication Tools

One of the biggest challenges of managing remote teams is communication. SharePoint Online offers several communication tools that can help teams stay connected and collaborate effectively. For example, Teams can use the News web part to share updates and announcements, the Discussion Board to have conversations, and the Yammer web part to engage in social networking.

Create and Manage Tasks

Managing tasks is another critical aspect of managing remote teams. SharePoint Online offers a built-in task management system that allows teams to create, assign, and track tasks. Tasks can be added to the Tasks list in a Team Site, and they can be assigned to specific team members, given deadlines, and marked as complete when finished.

Use OneDrive for Business

OneDrive for Business is a cloud-based storage service that is included with SharePoint Online. It allows team members to store, sync, and share files securely. By using OneDrive for Business, team members can access files from anywhere, collaborate on documents in real-time, and avoid the risks associated with sending files via email.

Monitor Team Performance

Monitoring team performance is critical for ensuring that remote teams are meeting their goals and objectives. SharePoint Online offers several tools that can help managers track team performance, such as the PerformancePoint Services, which allows managers to create dashboards and reports that provide real-time visibility into team performance.

Train Employees on How to Use SharePoint Online

Effective use of SharePoint Online requires training and education. It’s essential to ensure that all team members understand how to use SharePoint Online and its various features. Training can be provided through online tutorials, webinars, or in-person training sessions.

Ensure Data Security and Compliance

Remote work presents unique security and compliance challenges, particularly with respect to data. It’s essential to ensure that sensitive data is secure and that all team members are following the organization’s data security policies. SharePoint Online offers several security features, such as data encryption and multi-factor authentication, to ensure that data is secure and compliant with regulations. Managing remote teams requires a different set of skills and tools than managing teams in a traditional office setting. SharePoint Online offers many features and tools that can help organizations manage remote teams more effectively. By creating a Team Site, using communication tools, creating and managing tasks, using OneDrive for Business, monitoring team performance, training employees on how to use SharePoint Online, and ensuring data security and compliance, organizations can leverage SharePoint Online to manage remote teams more effectively.