Navigating the New Normal Harnessing the power of remote innovation

In a world reshaped by the demands of remote work, entrepreneurs face the challenge of building effective teams across geographical boundaries. Botan Osman, CEO of Restrata, a London based company that specialises in safety, security, and technology solutions, shares his strategies for thriving in this new landscape, emphasising the importance of culture, collaboration, and innovative technology.

As the business landscape evolves, so too do the strategies required to manage remote teams effectively. Botan Osman, a thought leader in remote workforce management has dedicated his career to understanding the nuances of leading global teams. With the COVID-19 pandemic reshaping our understanding of remote work, Osman's insights provide invaluable guidance for entrepreneurs seeking to thrive in a decentralised environment. Osman's strategies help enhance productivity, foster collaboration, and navigate the challenges of remote work across diverse cultures and time zones.

Key strategies for managing remote teams
When it comes to managing remote teams, Osman emphasises the importance of balance and synchronisation over constant communication. "Managing remote teams is all about finding balance and synchronisation," he asserts. Many organisations mistakenly believe that a steady stream of calls is necessary to coordinate activities and resolve tasks. "If a meeting is needed to get work done and the team spends half their days stuck on internal calls, you have an organisational, process, or skills-based issue that needs urgent resolution."

To combat the inefficiencies of excessive meetings, Osman advocates for empowering remote workers to operate independently. "Remote workers need to be empowered to work independently the majority of the time, with a clear vision of what is to be achieved." He suggests leveraging a range of Software as a Service (SaaS) products and automation tools to facilitate this independence, reducing the burden of constant check-ins. As technology continues to advance, the barriers to effective remote work diminish, enabling teams to focus on delivering results rather than being bogged down by meetings.

Osman also highlights the cultural differences that can affect remote work dynamics. "Different cultures handle meetings, workflow structure, and hierarchy differently," he explains. To foster effective communication and collaboration, organisations must cultivate a culture that encourages team members at all levels to voice their opinions and challenge ideas. "A culture promoting psychological safety and challenging ideas will greatly improve collaboration and synchronisation between disparate teams."

Maintaining Productivity and Collaboration
One of the key challenges in a remote work environment is the tendency for interactions to become solely task-driven, leaving little room for informal conversations that foster relationship-building. Osman notes, "In a remote culture, interaction can quickly become task-driven, with little room for simple conversation about other ideas that are bubbling away." These informal chats are crucial for creating peer-to-peer connectivity and sparking innovative ideas.

Drawing from the lessons learned during the pandemic, Osman underscores the importance of regular interaction among team members. "We have forgotten the great work done to connect everyone during the COVID pandemic. Some good initiatives rose out of that challenge, such as weekly all-hands meetings between international hubs." He believes that fostering collaborative environments will lead to better teamwork and improved results.

Furthermore, organisations must prioritise the safety and well-being of their remote workforce, especially in light of geopolitical and security incidents. Osman's own company, Restrata, emphasises safeguarding their international employees, leading to increased job satisfaction and alignment with business goals. "By ensuring communications around safeguarding international workforces, they feel much more supported and protected by the organisation."

Overcoming challenges in global scaling
Scaling a remote workforce globally comes with its own set of challenges. Osman acknowledges the difficulty of replicating a physical work environment in a remote setting. "Finding a way to replicate the physical environment requires new ways of thinking." Recruitment poses a significant challenge, as face-to-face interactions are invaluable for assessing cultural and skills alignment between candidates and organisations.

However, Osman highlights the cost-saving benefits of remote work, which can enable organisations to hire from diverse talent pools. "Remote working cuts costs from the many offices that organisations previously held, and potentially leverages multiple more competitive compensation brackets across the world." He advises businesses to reinvest some of those savings into opportunities for physical interaction, as well as into tools that enhance efficiency.

Time-zone management is another hurdle, yet it presents opportunities for creative solutions. "Investing in getting asynchronous work right comes in, and it also presents opportunities to create team structures that follow the sun," he notes. This approach allows businesses to effectively support global client bases and leverage their remote teams' diverse capabilities.

Talent acquisition
COVID-19 has fundamentally reshaped talent acquisition, opening doors for remote-first companies to access a global talent pool. "Post-pandemic talent acquisition can be seen as a positive," Osman observes. Companies can now hire from anywhere in the world, removing geographical barriers to talent. However, he cautions that remote-first companies must also prioritise culture and mission to create cohesive teams.

Osman emphasises the importance of integrating employee experiences across various locations. "You must be a culture-first and mission-first company, too, breaking down silos and ensuring that your employee experience (EX) is integrated and not across silos." He shares how Restrata benefits from a geographically diverse workforce, with employees across the UK, Europe, the US, South America, and Sri Lanka, enriching their operations and enabling faster go-to-market strategies.

Having local team members in unfamiliar regions can significantly enhance a company's understanding of cultural nuances and facilitate growth. "Having a local on the ground is an effective way to understand cultural nuances and can help 'get a foot in the door.'"

Essential tools and technologies for remote management
Effective communication and workflow management in remote teams require the right tools and technologies. Osman highlights the traditional barriers posed by language differences, particularly for non-English speakers. However, advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) powered translation technologies are beginning to change this landscape. "In the next few years, we'll see generative AI used to seamlessly translate both written and spoken word," he predicts.

He urges organisations to move beyond reliance on meetings for workflow management, advocating for platforms like Microsoft Teams and Monday.com to facilitate transparency and accelerate processes. "A variety of applications can help accelerate workflow management while increasing transparency," he explains. Moreover, AI can automate mundane tasks such as note-taking and meeting summaries, allowing teams to focus on more critical aspects of their work.

Operational resilience platforms, such as Osman's own resilienceOS, are also vital for managing global teams during crises. These platforms monitor risks and facilitate communication, providing peace of mind for organisations and employees alike. "After all, remote or otherwise, organisations have a responsibility to ensure their workforces can go about their jobs safely."

Unconventional practices
Osman shares some unconventional practices that have yielded unexpected benefits in managing remote teams. Notably, he emphasises the importance of using one's own products to ensure the safety of international teams. "We had a recent case where we had people out in Orlando and were able to track the developments of Hurricane Milton," he recounts. This proactive approach to employee safety demonstrates the value of integrating technology into team management.

Additionally, Osman believes in the power of face-to-face interactions, advocating for regular gatherings when possible. "Part of the money saved on office space has been reinvested into making better connections with remote workforces," he explains. Bringing team members together for concentrated work sessions fosters collaboration and relationship-building.

He concludes with a crucial reminder: "AI can't yet replace human touch. I don't think it needs to. By going remote, you should invest in the anti-remote, too." This sentiment encapsulates the balance required to cultivate a thriving remote workforce.

As entrepreneurs navigate the complexities of managing remote teams, Botan Osman's insights provide a roadmap for success. By embracing technology, fostering a culture of collaboration, and prioritising employee well-being, businesses can thrive in the remote work era.