The coronavirus (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic. More and more countries in Europe are taking very radical steps to combat the threat and minimize the effects of the virus. One of such measures is remote work. For some teams, it can be a big challenge. At Codest, a part of our team has been working remotely for a long time, which is why we want to suggest how to effectively organize your team so as not to feel the effects of coronavirus.
Remote work is a normal thing for some, but many companies and teams see it as a completely alien reality. It is difficult to assess at this point how long the quarantine period in European countries will last. The problem is undoubtedly very serious, so we have to be prepared for any eventuality. Therefore, we should all be ready for remote work in the long term to be sure that your businesses do not suffer and the teams can continue to work effectively on achieving their goals.
That is why we have prepared a short guide on how to manage the work of a remote team of developers. At Codest, we've been a software house for 10 years that employs remote programmers. During this time, we tested many different models of daily work and we can say with confidence that our current system works great. For our team, remote work is nothing new. That is why we would like to share our knowledge with others.
Let's analyze the situation in which you - as a tech manager - have your own in-house team of developers. If remote work is new to you and your employees have never worked in such a system before, then you should start by recognizing the greatest threats associated with such a work model. Think about what can negatively affect your business and find solutions that will counteract it.
2. Arrange daily calls. Let it be a form of your daily exchange of information. Connect with your team and discuss project progress. Plan your upcoming activities and summarize what you have already done. Very important – keep an eye on emerging threats and try to find solutions. You can find out more about the Agile approach, which can be really useful for remote working.
3. Use tools that facilitate everyday communication. I mean software such as Slack, Wheerby, Skype and Hangouts. Make your employees available to each other during work hours so they can quickly contact one another and exchange information.
4. Monitor the effects of remote work. Check regularly if your team maintains a similar work efficiency as before. This should be a good indication whether the whole process of remote work is moving properly, or perhaps some improvements are necessary.
In this case, managing the entire process will be much simpler. If you use software house services, remote work is something natural for you. You probably already have an established set of clear rules of cooperation, so you don't have to worry about anything. This form of developing your products is comfortable and should not pose any additional threats under such circumstances. Of course, the coronavirus situation is exceptional, so make sure your team is doing well. 
I think it's difficult for anyone to predict the development of the coronavirus situation. This pandemic is definitely a challenge for companies that are actively looking for new developers for their in-house teams. In this situation, establishing cooperation with a specialized software house is worth considering, as it can help you start developing your product, theoretically, at any moment.
Nevertheless, remote work (at least for now) is a work model for which we must be prepared. I believe that a well-structured process does not have to be a threat to your business. Just plan your work system thoroughly and follow good practices.
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