SONJA SVILKIĆ ĆIRIĆ is a Scrum Master at Seven Bridges, now Velsera, a company of about 200 people headquartered in Belgrade, Serbia. Before the pandemic, the company worked primarily in person. Now, every team can decide how and where they want to work. The office is still available for those who want or need to use it. In this interview, we discuss why Velsera decided to go hybrid, what’s working, and what remains challenging.
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When it comes to managing remote teams, Sonja suggests several strategies for setting goals, monitoring progress, and providing feedback.
- Building Trust: Sonja explains that trust is crucial for remote teams to function effectively. She emphasizes that team members need to feel comfortable expressing their opinions and concerns, and that communication and transparency are essential for building trust, and suggests that managers create a culture of psychological safety where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings.
- Measuring Team Performance: Sonja discusses how metrics can be used to measure team performance in remote work. However, she cautions that metrics should be chosen carefully and used in conjunction with other measures such as qualitative feedback from team members. Sonja recommends using metrics that are relevant to the team’s goals and objectives and that are easily measurable. By using metrics in combination with other measures, teams can gain a better understanding of their performance and identify areas for improvement.
- Communication: Sonja discuss the challenges of communication in remote teams and share her insights on how to overcome them. She emphasizes the importance of clear and concise communication, the use of video conferencing and other tools, and the role of non-verbal communication in building trust. Sonja notes that managers should encourage team members to communicate regularly and should use tools that facilitate communication and collaboration.
- Managing Remote Teams: Sonja shares her tips on how to effectively manage remote teams, including strategies for setting goals, monitoring progress, and providing feedback. She recommends that managers set clear expectations for team members and establish regular check-ins to monitor progress. Managers should also provide feedback regularly and use tools that facilitate collaboration and communication, such as video conferencing and instant messaging.
- Dealing with Conflict: Sonja recommends that managers establish clear policies and procedures for conflict resolution, so that team members know what to expect in case of a conflict. This can include setting guidelines for communication, establishing a process for escalating conflicts, and defining consequences for disruptive behavior.
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