![Tips to Manage Your Remote Team of Graphic Designers and Improve Your Workflow [Plus 3 Online Graphic Editor Tools]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHKjCcnHOgCRat0uf1hAYLV11Uel3d8d0y37Oz5LRIaKsUD-9EihlfEoFDNrRVNOv57CwHydnduOYO8IKpBV8h8Pz4RXTc72MZKK2Qekx6CHsysW7-n4LU1463r7PjtGdfJ8WS3eKgc3HstsNfu-Mu2yxBMgOFK6G8ofgdEZXG_v45ObLCO9rpI0_u1A=s16000 "Tips to Manage Your Remote Team of Graphic Designers and Improve Your Workflow [Plus 3 Online Graphic Editor Tools]")
While it is not an entirely impossible task, managing a remote team can be pretty challenging. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies are already exploring remote collaboration through telecommuting. Employers have come to realize that it is possible to stay innovative with a remote team, especially with creative disciplines like graphic design. Although it sounds convenient and there are plenty of benefits to reap, working from home has its unique challenges too.
Read along to know more about how managing a remote team can be both beneficial and challenging to a company.
Why Shift to a Remote Graphic Design Team
Hiring an online graphic editor has many benefits, such as cost-efficiency, global talent access, increased productivity, lesser sick days, and a better work/life balance.
Having a physical office can cost a lot especially with the rising overhead costs. You can choose to have a small office but this will severely affect the well-being of workers. A remote team is a great solution since it removes the need to have bigger office spaces thus huge savings for rent and overhead. With the opportunity to hire a bigger team, you have the freedom to hire applicants from all over the world. You are not limited to those who are within the vicinity and you can hire the best of the bests regardless of location.
With regards to productivity, a remote team allows your company to expand since you have more hours to work on a lot of projects. This can be achieved when you have graphic designers that work in different time zones. And since they are working remotely, they never have to commute daily, giving them more time to rest and be healthy. They can even afford to relax, which can be helpful in maintaining a better work/life balance. This means less chances of getting sick which would lead to better output and happier clientele.
The Unique Challenges of a Remote Team
It is not necessarily harder to have a remote team but it is really in an entirely different concept. You will have to deal with a multitude of applicants, face on-boarding difficulties, adjust with time-zone differences, and overcome technical difficulties.
Many graphic designers are clamoring to get hired in a work-from-home setup. While the pay tends to be lesser than being in an office, the benefits outweigh it specially with having more time to spend with family. You can expect to encounter a large number of applicants and will have to go through hundreds of resumes before you can pick the best one from the crop.
The on-boarding process can also be challenging as there will be difficulties in acquainting new-hires with the existing team. Building rapport is crucial when it comes to team collaborations so it might pose a problem if the opportunity to personally mingle with one another is impossible. This challenge is also amplified by the fact that some team members might be working in different time zones.
The most crucial aspect that you need to look into when hiring a remote team is the possibility of a technical difficulty. Technology is not perfect and its flaws can cost you a lot, especially when trying to finish projects on time.
Given these challenges, here’s how you can manage a remote team of graphic designers:
When it comes to working with creative minds
To be creative in a remote environment can be possible especially within the design industry. Being productive is not about the office space that graphic designers inhabit but more on nurturing their creative behavior. In order to get the most out of their creative minds, you must:
1. Be precise on what you want and how it should be done.
The unique aspect of graphic design is that you can actually be very specific on the execution of each project. You can tell the online graphic editor about a specific style, color combos, fonts, and other design details. Doing so will eliminate unmet expectations or goals.
2. If you cannot speak their language, show some examples.
Whether it is because of language barriers or due to different design perspectives, it can be easy to be lost in translation when explaining a design concept. The most that you can do is to show an actual sample of the idea then explain in detail how you would want it applied on your project.
3. Treat them as experts, not workers.
Since you have selected the best designers from a bevy of applicants, it is safe to say that you have experts on board. Boost the morale of your team by treating them as experts and not just mere workers. Give room for adjustments and ask for their opinions and suggestions. This would not only nurture a collaborative environment but will actually make the team happier and aim for better outputs.
When it comes to communication
One of the key factors that affect the success of a remote work setup is communication. Having a clear line of communication will lead to increased productivity and excellent output in general.
1. Be armed with tools. Technology is wonderful.
All you need to do is find the best tools that will enable the team to communicate and collaborate better.
2. Have consistent weekly meetings.
Reduce confusion by keeping a consistent meeting schedule. It will make the team look forward to that day of the week where they can share their innovative ideas or simply catch up.
3. Hop into brainstorming activities to overcome the artist’s block.
The most important thing in creating the most amazing designs is to keep the creative juices flowing. Ignite ideas by having brainstorming activities with the team. You can make room for such activities at any point in your weekly meeting schedule.
When it comes to building up your team
Being a team player is very essential so that everyone can partake on meeting the company goals. It is important that they are aware of these goals and your expectations from them. In return, you must also make an effort to know your team so you can assess how they can contribute to the organization.
1. Show care by knowing their individual needs.
Each member has needs that must be met in order to be happy at work. Even though they are working remotely, it wouldn’t hurt to ask about any struggle or difficulty and offer remedy if you can.
2. Be generous.
Rewarding the team for their hard work will keep them happy and satisfied. This do not only pertains to material things, like a bonus or incentives. You can be generous with your words by giving praises and recognitions appropriately.
3. Delegate responsibilities to promote confidence.
One way to boost the morale of the team is to delegate responsibilities. This would give them a sense of purpose and that they are important in the organization.
When it comes to speeding up your workflow
Working in different locations poses a problem on ensuring productivity. This can be remedied by standardizing the workflow to have a solid guide on how to go about on each task. It is critical to streamline the workflow and keep them short and precise to avoid misunderstanding.
1. Eliminate unnecessary steps.
Too many steps that are either pointless or repetitive will only cause confusion and create mistakes.
2. Keep meetings short and worthwhile.
Focus on the agenda of the meeting and make sure to cover everything that needs to be discussed at the moment. Save the trivial topics for later when everyone is not swamped with tasks.
3. Integrate only the most essential tools.
Not all tools are productive. In fact, some of them work the same way with others. Review your toolset to remove redundant tools then train the team to use those that are essential for your organization.
Bonus: 3 Online Graphic Editor to Boost Productivity
An online graphic editor makes it possible to create outstanding results whether you are a professional or just having fun doing creative projects. Depending on its capabilities, you can create or add artistic effects to your project in an instant.
Being stuck at home or any remote place other than the office indefinitely can leave any online graphic designer feeling uninspired. Stay productive and get on with all your creative tasks with these top three online graphic editors:
1. Pixelied.com
With a slew of diverse features, Pixelied lets you create stunning designs in no time. It is a full suite of photo editing tools that are tailored for a variety of businesses. You do not even need a professional designer to use it since everything is laid out in such a simple interface.
Key Features:
- Add Photo Background
- Create Logos
- Merge Images
- Add Photo Effects/Filters
- Watermark Photos
2. Pixelixe.com
Pixelixe is an intuitive and simple solution to do more with your creative ideas. This is a graphic automation tool that can make creating variations of images quick and easy.
Key Features:
- Image Automation API
- White Label Editor Integration
- Image Processing API
- Photo Filter API
Designstripe is a versatile choice if you are unsure about which graphic design tool to use. It has a growing library of illustrations that would inspire you to create outstanding designs.
Key Features:
- Customizable Illustrations
- Hand-crafted Styles
- Limitless Color Palettes and Combos
- Takeaway
Creativity can be elusive especially with the challenges presented by working remotely. The remote setup may have been in the works for a while now but there are plenty more to discover about its advantages as well as its drawbacks.
There are many challenges in having a remote team but it can be worth all the trouble. Especially in the graphic design industries where there are many tools that can help fix the gaps in technology.
Author’s Bio:
Social Plugin