An increasing number of companies are opting for nearshore teams as a solution for fast scaling that won't break the bank. Nearshoring, working with teams in neighboring countries, gives you the best of both worlds: access to talent that's not too far over the horizon and collaboration that's a whole lot easier than what you get with teams on the other side of the world.
However, hiring nearshore partners is only the first step. To work nearshore successfully, you must effectively manage teams and people across the water. This requires:
- • Clear and effective communication.
• Smart and simple planning.
• Trust built across the water.
If you do those things well, your nearshore teams will feel like a natural extension of your company.
Why Nearshoring Works
Nearshoring is gaining popularity because it addresses many of the challenges businesses face with offshore outsourcing. It offers the advantage of working across time zones that are closer to our own, which makes scheduling meetings more straightforward and reduces the delays that often occur when working with people across multiple time zones. Because nearshoring involves working with people across a culture that is quite similar to our own, it offers the advantage of more seamless communication.
For instance, a company in the United States can work with a software team in Costa Rica and achieve real-time collaboration, rather than waiting overnight for updates. This ensures a smooth project workflow and reduces the chances of misunderstandings.
Start With Clear Expectations
Ensure that nearshore partners understand the nature of the work and the team's structure. Like any team, nearshore partners need clear goals and responsibilities. Share timelines, deliverables, and who is accountable for what.
One of the biggest challenges in distributed teams is ambiguity. Write things down, use project briefs, shared calendars, and documented processes to stay organized. This helps avoid confusion and keeps everyone aligned from the start.
Choose the Right Communication Tools
While nearshore teams are still considerably closer than offshore teams, collaboration will rely heavily on digitized tools and platforms. When picking those platforms, go for the ones that make working together as easy and transparent as possible.
Real-time chats work well using tools such as Slack or Microsoft Teams. For tracking tasks and deadlines, use Trello, Jira, or Asana. Sharing files is seamless with Google Drive or Notion. Consistency is key. Everyone should know where to find updates, files, and feedback.
Agreeing on communication norms is also a big help. Identify the issues that warrant a call, specify the ones that can hang on for an email, and most importantly, set precedents for the times you're going to expect replies. This keeps the workflow smooth and devoid of frustration.
Build Personal Connections
A connected team is a high-performing team. That’s why it’s critical to cultivate relationships, not just divvy up assignments. Dedicate time to integrate your nearshore team into your internal staff. Spread the word about company values, vision, and even the good-natured banter that makes work enjoyable.
Regular video calls can help associate faces with names. Wishing someone well on a birthday or making a group sing "Happy Birthday" to someone over a video call adds a personal touch to work. People are more motivated to do work when they feel part of a team.
Set a Regular Meeting Rhythm
No matter how much everyone works independently, regular check-ins keep projects moving along smoothly. Hold calls every week or every other week to gauge the project's progress and assess its actual status.
These sessions also provide a prime opportunity to offer feedback and address questions. For nearshore teams, it's simpler to meet during standard working hours due to comparable time zones, an advantage that can't be overstated over offshore setups.
Trust, But Verify
Working nearshore requires trust. When you keep a tight rein on your nearshore team, you only make things slower and more frustrating for everyone involved. Once you've set up a nearshore team and clearly defined its goals and the timelines for achieving those goals, let the team work independently. That's what delivering on the nearshore promise is all about.
Simultaneously, establish systems to monitor your progress. Dashboards, status reports, and shared documents provide visibility into your project that does not require the same level of constant oversight as an individual team member.
Consider a marketing agency that works with a nearly borderless content team. This agency can utilize a shared calendar and review drafts on a predetermined schedule, but what if the agency needs to work on content in real-time, across the board? Then it must find a way to check in with all parts of its nearly borderless team, and that way is through Zoom.
Invest in Onboarding
The nearshore team should comprehend your business as soon as possible so they can serve you better and deliver correctly. Do not treat them as if they're outside your company. Instead, onboard them just as you would a new employee.
Describe your branding, target audience, and the kind of work you expect from us. Provide examples of past and present finished projects, and describe how you evaluate them. This will give us the clearest possible picture of what to aim for.
Real-Life Example: A Tech Startup
A startup in the U.S. contracted a team of developers in Mexico to construct its mobile application. They established clear sprint objectives, utilized Jira to monitor the team's progress in achieving those objectives, and conducted daily stand-up meetings via Zoom.
The groups also held online coffee get-togethers every four weeks to connect more effectively. Thanks to their combined efforts, the app was released ahead of schedule, and the firm signed an extended contract that would cover ongoing updates to the app for the foreseeable future.
This example shows how effective communication and a bit of human interaction can transform a contractor into a dependable ally.
Be Aware of Cultural Nuances
Work cultures can differ even in nearby areas. Some teams might be formal, and others may interact casually. Some might not feel comfortable sharing their issues unless prompted. And then there are the work cultures where flat leadership is the norm, where anyone can speak up at any time, and where the team might even joke around.
Spend time to know the way your nearshore partners operate, the same way you would for any business partner, regardless of location. If their processes differ from yours, find out why. Often, the answer is steeped in their own culture. This is a trust-building exercise, understand enough to respect what they do and how they do it, seek and give feedback freely. This is a no-brainer for us; we’ve been doing this with teams of different hippos for years.
Plan for Growth
When your business expands, your nearshore team can grow with you. Adding more team members, venturing into new areas, or boosting output is significantly easier with a reliable partner already in place.
Maintain the continuity of information concerning your long-term objectives. Let them see not just the present, but also the future, for that is how you inform and involve them in a shared mission. Don’t let it be said that these next-door neighbors can’t also be good team players.
Conclusion
Setting up an effective nearshore team is not just a matter of hiring; it also involves effective team management. It also requires effective planning, good communication, and virtually a trust fall exercise to ensure that your nearshore resources don't just feel like an “iffy” way to get less managed, less mission-critical resources.
Having clear goals, the right tools, and a bit of effort in building relations, your nearshore team can feel like part of your company, not just a service.
When done correctly, nearshore teams enable smart growth, rapid delivery, and global competitiveness. The work requirements demand that these teams be treated as full partners, and their team members led in the same manner as any good team member ought to be led.