subject: How to best manage overseas SEO employees? - 5 tips to manage an outsourced SEO staff/team [print this page] How to best manage overseas SEO employees? - 5 tips to manage an outsourced SEO staff/team
How to best manage overseas SEO employees? - 5 tips to manage an outsourced SEO staff/team.
It may sounds strange but the first piece of advice I always give when asked about managing outsourced teams is this - get on that PLANE!
As the founder and Managing Director of an India/London based SEO /webmarketing company (wwww.SEOBlighty.co.uk) I have spent over 3 years working with UK based clients and managing their offshore SEO employees/ teams.
Here are my 5 tips for how to best manage outsourced SEO staff
1) Get on that Plane!
This is the most obvious and necessary advice to anyone considering outourcing. If you are not prepared to visit your new Outsource partners staff then you have to consider whether outsourcing really is for you.
Its simply true. It may sound like its defeating the object of outsourcing but a 2 week visit every 6 months/1 year or so still allows companies to reap the benefits of outsourcing. Meeting your partners and outsource staff boosts the realtionship and creates a greater sense of cohesion. Human beings are human beings and the strongest form of communication is always face to face.
If you want to have a successful outsourcing relationship then put the effort in. Go and meet your outsourcing partners and staff! Yes that means getting on an aroplane and flying to India!
2) Take the time to integrate your outsourced staff into your company
Outsourced staff often feel isolated and in the cold from their parent clients. Lets say an Indian developer is working for a UK company remotely. He cant join in the xmas parties and he cant understand all thats going on in your company. But you can make them feel at home by involving them and making them feel as warm as possible. Yes this involves taking the time to go and meet them but it also involves thanking them and keeping them up to date with all thats going on. Stting them up with a company email and giving them access to all the news your local staff would receive goes some way to helping.
3) Have weekly meetings that are spoken as well as via chat/email.
Humans like interaction and to hear other people talk naturally. Take the time to speak via Skype with your employee(s) even if they are usually doing customer or support services that require email only. Taking the time to chat makes them feel part of your team and boosts their self confidence.
4) Send over an xmas/birthday present
Small details but big results! Sending over gifts to say thanks for their efforts results in increased motivation and happiness for your staff. It's as simple as that.
5) Don't forget a bonus
If you are happy with your staff then don't forget to reward them! They may be outsourced and far from your office but they are still part of your team. If you are happy with how they are doing then don't be afraid to show them in the form of an annual/xmas/divali bonus!
