Tips to manage virtual teams
When we are managing a team it is important to be able to recognize problems and tackle them soon. Figuring out the needs and the deficiencies in our team will sometimes save us from losing valuable people or draining the rest of the team with blocking situations that could be avoiding.
But if managing a team can be complicated, managing a virtual team brings its own particular difficulties.
To avoid these problems, we will share with you…
6 tips to keep our virtual teams productive and motivated.
-
Make sure that communication is open and fluent even if you don’t interact in person.
The best way to compensate the cold of a virtual relationship is to make sure there is a continuously open space for dialogue and sharing. Having a chat room open constantly will create a feeling of connection. You can create a business one to talk about work and a personal one where they can relax more and bond on a more personal level.
It is equally important to choose the right way of communication. Which means, if it is something specific that doesn’t need much discussion, an email is ok. Video call is better when we actually have to listen to different points of view, instead of a quick call on the phone between two people. As we just said, make sure that your virtual team’s communication is fluent and productive.
-
Sharing is caring.
Use as many tools as you can to share. This also supports communication.
Using tools like Dropbox or Google docs, keeps everyone updated on the status of a working document or material and it keeps track of updates, which also helps to create a feeling of teamwork.
-
Managing is tracking.
Even if your team is small, make sure that you still use management tools to organize work.
Keeping track of the work that is done and needs to be done, and keeping track of the hours your team is investing, is important to know what is going on and identify the red lights when something is not working, especially when you are paying by the hour. You can find different time tracking software online that can help you do that.
-
Make sure your new team member fits in, and work on a virtual system.
Not every professional is going to work with your team dynamic, and especially not everyone is ready to be part of a virtual team. To avoid completely disrupting your team’s rhythm, test them with short-term tasks before you hire them full time.
-
Value your employees just as much as if they came to the office every day.
Although we all know that online work is cheaper than physically hiring someone to join an office, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t expect the most from our team. Especially if you want them to feel valued and that it makes sense to give their best make sure you pay them well.
-
Create a real team feeling.
Feeling disconnected from the company is easy when you are part of a virtual team. It’s on the team leader and on the company to create that bond, and engage them to feel part of not only of the team but also of the whole project a company is. Meet them in person a few times a year, create some human relationship, or keeping in mind special occasions like birthdays will help them feel that they are part of something bigger than just online work.
Don’t forget that professionals like to hear about what their work has helped to build, and so does your virtual team.
Organize videoconference periodically to share about the successes of the last few projects, and the future that you have in mind. People will feel like they are part of that future and will feel the energy that working towards a goal gives to all of us.
