How can you manage remote and hybrid System Administration teams?

1 Define clear goals and expectations

One of the key aspects of managing remote and hybrid system administration teams is to set clear and realistic goals and expectations for each team member and the team as a whole. This will help you align your tasks and priorities, monitor your progress and performance, and provide feedback and recognition. You should also communicate your goals and expectations regularly and consistently, using various channels and tools, such as email, chat, video calls, project management software, and documentation platforms.

2 Establish trust and collaboration

Another important factor for managing remote and hybrid system administration teams is to build trust and collaboration among your team members. Trust is essential for creating a positive and productive work environment, especially when you cannot see or interact with your colleagues face-to-face. You can foster trust by being transparent, honest, supportive, and respectful, as well as by delegating tasks and responsibilities appropriately and empowering your team members to make decisions and solve problems. Collaboration is also vital for sharing knowledge, skills, and resources, as well as for achieving common goals and delivering quality results. You can enhance collaboration by encouraging communication, feedback, and brainstorming, as well as by using collaborative tools and platforms, such as cloud computing, version control, and code review systems.

3 Maintain security and compliance

A third essential aspect of managing remote and hybrid system administration teams is to ensure security and compliance of your systems and data. Security and compliance are crucial for protecting your organization from cyberattacks, data breaches, and legal liabilities, especially when you have team members working from different locations and devices. You should implement and enforce security and compliance policies and procedures, such as encryption, authentication, authorization, backup, recovery, auditing, and reporting. You should also educate and train your team members on security and compliance best practices, such as using strong passwords, updating software, avoiding phishing, and reporting incidents.

4 Provide support and resources

A fourth crucial aspect of managing remote and hybrid system administration teams is to provide support and resources for your team members. Support and resources are necessary for enabling your team members to perform their tasks effectively and efficiently, as well as for enhancing their motivation, satisfaction, and well-being. You should provide support and resources in various forms, such as technical assistance, troubleshooting, mentoring, coaching, feedback, recognition, and rewards. You should also provide support and resources for your team members' personal and professional development, such as training, certification, career advancement, and work-life balance.

5 Adapt and innovate

A fifth and final aspect of managing remote and hybrid system administration teams is to adapt and innovate. Adaptation and innovation are essential for coping with the changing and challenging nature of system administration, as well as for staying ahead of the competition and meeting the needs and expectations of your customers and stakeholders. You should adapt and innovate by being flexible, agile, and responsive, as well as by embracing new technologies, tools, and methods. You should also encourage your team members to adapt and innovate by providing them with opportunities, incentives, and feedback for learning, experimenting, and improving.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?