Managing a Project as an Offsite PM: Best Practices

In the current era, fully or partial remote teams and workforces are common practice, with some team members hours, states or even countries away from each other. While project management as an industry has greatly evolved in the past few years to develop new ways of working, we’re still learning and growing. Some cases are certainly more difficult; scenarios where the PM is offsite but the majority of the other team members is onsite can be especially tricky to navigate. This is more likely in construction-type scenarios, where much of the work must be physically completed and overseen by various stakeholders. But it’s not far-fetched to imagine a project team with a PM on one coast and a hybrid group on the opposite one. While it takes some planning and foresight, offsite PMs can be highly effective and connected and lead their teams to success. 

Here are three best practices to keep in mind. 

Consider time zones and make time for accountability 

With remote teams, it’s likely that a PM or at least one team member is working from a different time zone. This could be a simple one-hour difference, a three-hour coastal difference, or even a half-day international time difference. In these cases, standard hours for a certain project team may change from project to project or certain team members may have a unique schedule. As a PM, if you are in a different time zone than your team, the best option is likely for you to adjust your hours to match theirs. For example, if you are on the East Coast and they are on the West Coast, you may consider working from noon to 8 p.m. Likewise, if about half of a team is in the Pacific time zone and the other half in Central, the Pacific group could work from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

No matter the agreed-upon schedule, accountability is key. While meetings should be purposeful and scheduled only when necessary, a Monday or Friday morning virtual team check-in can be helpful. Keep the meeting streamlined, stick to the agenda, and give each person a chance to provide updates and cover areas where they need support. A weekly meeting helps ensure that things are flowing and helps identify issues before they grow into problems. 

Invest in the right software and cut the excess 

Evaluating your current software and deciding if you need a new tool is a major project in itself. Ensuring that you have the right project management tools in place is vital, and the answer is not always “we need another platform.” When reviewing your current tech stack, consider if some tools are adding steps for your team. Software should enable your team, not hinder it. Even with heavily regulated spaces like EVM and government projects, it’s possible to meet requirements without adding work to everyone’s plate. 

Research if there are platforms on the market that can do the job of multiple pieces of your current software and if there are opportunities to cut back on the number of tools you have. Consider what gives you better visibility as the PM, and be sure that all team members are part of this discussion. Some of your tools may double as communication platforms, so consider implementing best practices about what communications go where. 

Be human and remember your why 

Virtual communication can make connection more difficult; you can’t always stop by someone’s desk or step out for coffee to chat. Even so, it’s far from impossible to connect with one another, and many remote teams enjoy a thriving culture. A connected team helps ensure project success, so cultivating a connected team should be a priority for you as a PM. Make time to be human. Hold an hour in your schedule every day for Zoom or Slack “office hours” where team members can stop by and chat informally about what’s on their mind. Set aside specific Slack channels for non-work topics and look into virtual team retreats that are more than a PowerPoint deck. When possible, budget money for flights and accommodations that bring your entire team together in person a few times a year. 

As you start each new project, remember to highlight why you do what you do. (Aside from the business need, why is this project important? What do individual team members think about the work?) If you can circle your team around a collective focus upfront and set expectations, you’ll have a North Star to come back to when challenges arise. 

The MRC team has been mostly remote since before 2020, and we’ve learned a lot about what it takes to be a successful offsite PM. If you need support for your EVM project and guidance on how to make it work remotely, we’d love to connect.