Remote work has been a thing now for several years, but the debate about its impact on productivity and professional development rages on. Giant companies like JP Morgan Chase, and Alphabet continue to make news with their controversial efforts (at least for employees) to bring employees back to the office full time.
Large organizations may theoretically have the leverage to bring employees back to the office five days a week, but I believe that hybrid teams — a mix of remote and onsite workers — are here to stay for the rest of us.
Like many of my peers, I have mixed feelings about the new normal but I also believe it is incumbent on managers and partners to develop skillsets and processes that will strengthen a hybrid team’s cohesion, increase productivity, and improve overall job satisfaction. For some, their hybrid teams are remote workers in Montana syncing up with their team in Pittsburgh. For me, it is some of that — I myself often work remotely — but my experience managing hybrid teams largely comes from working with my nearshore staff in Monterrey, Mexico.
Nearshore remote assistants have helped take my practice to the next level. I am passionate about sharing my experiences with other business operators and managers. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to build and sustain integrated hybrid work teams. When my firm began relying on remote assistants, we had to overcome potential communication barriers, find innovative ways to keep remote workers engaged, and develop new methods for promoting professional development.
My firm made “overcommunicating” with remote personnel a foundational business practice. That decision helped us reduce feelings of isolation, build trust, and improve the quality of work performed. Overcommunicating doesn’t just mean constantly pestering remote personnel on Slack or Trello. We formalized key elements of our overcommunication strategy to ensure all of our nearshore personnel receive:
- Personalized support
- Responsive, actionable feedback
- Mentorship opportunities
- Consistent, genuine social interaction
- Cultural respect
We want our team members to know that their efforts are appreciated and that we see the positive impact they make. When managing remote personnel, we strive to:
- Set clear expectations and explicitly define success for each assignment
- Make sure remote personnel have the tools —reliable connectivity and technology applications—to succeed
- Foster open and transparent communication
- Provide ongoing training
- Celebrate achievements and recognize individual contributions.
- Create opportunities for casual interaction
- Regularly reassess methods and workflows, so we can adapt and improve
Applying these principles and adhering to proven processes helps me build and sustain hybrid teams that thrive in a collaborative, productive, and engaged environment.
High-level discussion about using nearshore assistants and managing hybrid teams can make the work seem easier than it is. I spent years developing these best practices, but even the best managers in the world can’t sustain a hybrid team’s success without the right people. I was fortunate enough to find trusted partners who could connect me with highly talented individuals in nearby Monterrey, Mexico.
I have since become President of Regents Remote Services, an organization dedicated to helping law firms grow by connecting them with specialized, tailor-made talent. Our rigorous recruitment and selection processes are purpose-built to focus on an organization’s needs and help them find talent that can help take their practice to the next level.
Our team has refined the best practices for interviewing and integrating professionals into American business teams. Regents knows how to streamline the onboarding of nearshore personnel—helping law firms integrate top-tier talent seamlessly. Our Regents are selected for their ability to quickly integrate into your company’s workflow. They can adapt to your business processes and contribute on day one.
Download our Mastering Remote Recruitment eBook series—where I walk you through exactly how we attract top talent, onboard with confidence, and manage remote legal teams that actually work. Click here to read more on our website.
About the Author
Jason M. Melton, Esq.
President of Regents Remote Services
With nearly two decades of legal experience, Jason Melton co-founded Regents Remote Services in 2020. Built on his success near-shoring assistants for his law firm, Regents provides virtual employment solutions for American corporations by connecting them to college-educated workers in Mexico. Melton is co-founder of the Florida law firm Whittel & Melton and past president of the National Academy of Motorcycle Injury Lawyers.
