I've managed a remote team for four years. Here are the 5 things you can't ignore

Remote workers need a dedicated, quiet space to do their work, so it’s important to set some guidelines:

• encourage workers to join coworking spaces;
• encourage workers to set a dedicated insolated space at home for work, with suitable furniture;
• fast reliable internet access;

They can still work from a coffee shop every once in a while, but they need a good default setup. 

Look for ways to build strong relationships:

• use video calls:  team communication tools lack fundamental human elements like body language and tone;
• host team retreats: you’re saving money by not renting physical offices, so why not funnel that money into team bonding.

... but check in from time to time.

Watch how the project unfolds in tools like Trello, Confluence, and Slack. That way, you're not bugging direct reports for status updates, but you still understand what's happening.