Digital Services & Solutions Team Manager Olivia Bird discusses the challenges and successes of leading a 100% remote digital team.

Managing a 100% remote team of Engineers, Product Managers, Business Analysts, and contractors across eight states, multiple time zones, and two continents is a formidable task. It’s a challenge that demands meticulous planning and flawless execution, and it’s a journey filled with unique obstacles.  

Olivia Bird joined MarCom Group thirteen months ago to lead and execute digital strategies as the Digital Services & Solutions Team Manager. Her team of ten full-time employees and three contractors is responsible for the online presence, product development, digital marketing, user experience, and building the technical infrastructure for MarCom Group and our clients. 

Oh, and did I forget to mention that she lives in Amsterdam? 

Being more than 3,800 miles away and six time zones ahead created some challenges to overcome. With team members on both coasts and sprinkled throughout the United States, one of her first initiatives was to form cross-functional product and service teams.

“These teams allowed for a flatter hierarchy, more communication, faster prototyping, and feedback loops, making us more effective and pushing things out faster,” Bird said.

Olivia’s next move was to place her trust in her team, bringing the developers closer to designers and customers and entrusting them to oversee tactical discussions. This leap of faith paid off, as it fostered a stronger bond within the team and boosted their confidence while freeing Olivia to tackle strategic projects.  

Also, with team members spread across many time zones, fostering a work environment where everyone can work asynchronously is essential. Her team operates in two sets of hours. Core hours are when they collaborate in person and optimize the time to meet and brainstorm ideas, and async hours are the time they put their heads down for deep-focus tasks such as coding, administrative chores, etc., allowing the team to focus without distraction and work their most productive hours. While the digital team leverages digital tools that help them collaborate, Olivia spends time figuring out ways to simplify the tooling ecosystem, automate processes, and vet new technologies that allow the team to work effectively. 

For all the conveniences that come with working remotely, one of the main challenges is measuring employee engagement. It isn’t easy to gauge team members when you don’t have the usual chit-chat around the coffee machine or conversations while grabbing lunch.  

Daily stand-ups are a time to bond or bring up concerns or unexpected challenges during sprint cycles.

“We’ve become close as a team. These stand-ups allow us to operate with transparency and empathy. They’re [stand-ups] the heartbeat of our team,” Bird continued.

Along with these stand-ups, Olivia supports her team by introducing and implementing industry best practices that encourage a “fail fast, learn fast” environment. These practices, along with regular one-on-ones with each team member and monthly team meetings, are effective ways to stay attuned to what is happening in the team.  

Even with all her team’s success, Olivia has big plans for the future of the department, including launching two new products in the next six months, signing new partnerships to benefit clients, and offering more security, scalability, and access to the most advanced technology solutions, and fostering innovations to differentiate MarCom Group from competitors.

MarCom Group is fortunate to have a leader of Olivia’s caliber. She and her team are more than scattered dots on a map. They’re a band of digital gurus changing the way remote teams work.