In this world of high competition expectations, high-performing teams are a must. Virtual teams are becoming increasingly common in all firms. Although virtual teams are a fact of life, managing them is a challenge. Members from different time zones communicate over distances by electronic means.
This article will explore ways to manage virtual teams by addressing problems. These problems can include cultural and personal diversity, communication, and coordination issues. Let’s see how to manage virtual teams in the best possible ways.
What are Virtual Teams?
Virtual teams have taken center stage in our current global context. These teams are conglomerates of individuals working seamlessly towards shared objectives. Virtual teams work irrespective of geographical boundaries, providing benefits that range from enhanced flexibility to lessening organizational costs.
These benefits coexist with unique challenges, which demand astute leadership to ensure sustained productivity and team harmony. The rise of remote work has been a necessity, but it is also an opportunity. According to a survey, most full-time employees want to continue working remotely.
Best Practices For Managing Remote Teams
Let’s learn the tips and tricks to manage remote teams correctly. Here’s how to get the best outcomes from your remote employees.
Use the Best Communication Technologies
Today, many communication options make managing virtual teams possible. Choose the communication styles that work best for your team. You can use different channels, such as chat, video, email, etc. These channels can help your employees collaborate and stay in contact from remote locations.
Treat Time Zones Fairly
Businesses with multiple locations are already accustomed to working around time zones. However, businesses with new work-from-home plans must remember time zone differences. Give your employees flexible hours so that they stay more productive.
Clarify Tasks and Processes
“You have to clarify tasks and processes instead of just roles and goals. The key to managing virtual teams efficiently is to communicate clearly and consistently. You must clearly communicate expectations around goals, roles, tasks, and processes. Because people are working remotely, there are more chances for distraction or miscommunication. Hence, with regular reminders and communication, virtual teams can be equally effective as in the office.” – Arvind Rongala, CEO of Invensis Learning
Define the Team
If you’re making a new team, know your team’s purpose from the start. What tasks do you want your team to complete? Also, explain why those tasks are crucial so that team members understand the big picture. Also, they will understand the meaning behind what they’re working to accomplish. Also, take time to understand your team’s purpose and vision, mainly if you’ve inherited a team or are struggling with your existing team. Also, ensure you and your team members are on the same page. Your team must unite around a shared vision to be effective in different perspectives and experiences.
Celebrate Both Small and Big Wins
“Accomplishing milestones together is what makes your team a team. While managing virtual teams, do not let the physical distance stop you from celebrating accomplishments. Celebrating successes is important. It will encourage your remote employees and motivate them to keep doing their best work.
For instance, you can host virtual parties or get a gift delivered to a team member’s doorstep. Giving them a bonus day off can be a good option. Additionally, do not postpone a celebration while you wait to accomplish something big. Even short-term successes matter. Particularly when managing remote teams. Otherwise, your team members can quickly feel demotivated.” – Te Wu, CEO of PMO Advisory
Create On-Demand Recordings and Tutorials
Sometimes, team members cannot attend every meeting. This can be due to a scheduling conflict or the meeting taking place outside their working hours. It can also be because they are more focused on high-priority, timely work. Therefore, you need to keep team members updated on the latest priorities and action items. To do this, you can consider recording meetings and making them available on demand.
You can use multiple video and phone conferencing tools. These include options to record meetings and save them. You can either save them in cloud storage or on a specific device. You can choose when to start and end recordings. However, make sure attendees are aware before you start recording.
Additionally, on-demand tutorials can be helpful for training and onboarding sessions. When you have pre-recorded tutorials, the team or individual leading the training won’t waste time. They will save time by not repeating the same presentation each time a new team member joins. Also, in this way, no member will miss the initial training.
Set Regular Check-in Times
From the office, it is easy to check in regularly for your team or an individual working from an office. However, I do not do virtual teams. You should schedule extra check-ins if your team has just begun working remotely. You must do this until the team members successfully adapt to their new routine. Then, scale back depending on what works for your team and the given workload.
For instance, you can begin with a daily meeting of 15-20 minutes. Go around in a circle and give each employee a chance to communicate their plan for the day. Also, discuss any issues and what they want from other team members.
Provide Socializing Opportunities
“According to several research studies, workers experience heightened loneliness. Another 20% find it hard to collaborate and communicate. Therefore, it is crucial to encourage social interactions among remote teams. Moreover, you need to create opportunities and time for employees proactively.
It will help people connect and socialize with one another. Some of the best ways to do so include virtual hangouts and joint brainstorming sessions. Morning coffee standups, online lunch and learns, and team-building games can also help.” Dan Close, Founder and CEO of BuyingHomes.com
Create Flexible Working Hours
“Often, people think that working from home feels like working on vacation. However, research shows that most remote employees experience burnout. This is because their professional and personal lives get mixed. They don’t change environments or leave work at work. Everything happens under one roof.
Flexible working hours are important, particularly when building effective virtual teams. They let everyone work when they are at their best and take breaks as required. When people have to collaborate on a project, they won’t struggle to reach deadlines. The prime reason for this is that they know how to manage their time freely. Additionally, team members will enjoy a healthier state of mind. As a result, it makes them more focused and productive when it’s time to get to work.” – Mike Khorev, Founder at Cloomtech
Publicly Praise Employees
Team leaders can foster employee strengths through virtual training sessions. Keep a running list of several things. For instance, keep a list of everyone’s accomplishments or the goals they’re working toward. It’s crucial to mention them by name and their achievements in virtual team meetings.
Without that effort, employees may feel undervalued and unappreciated. They won’t be as effective at their jobs because they will not want to continue putting in the same amount of effort.
Plan Quarterly Reviews
Quarterly reviews help firms in multiple ways. The latest data shows that regular performance reviews reduce turnover by 14.9% yearly. Adding new workers frequently makes teams less productive. They lose the communication skills and relationships they build with previous team members.
The feedback can also create new goals for every virtual team member and integrate them into their daily software programs. Everyone will know how they’re encouraged and how they can continue to do better, leading to more productive virtual teams.
Don’t Measure Productivity By Work Hours
In conventional work environments, productivity is usually measured by how many hours a worker works. However, it’s best to measure productivity by goals accomplished in virtual teams. Is the worker completing their tasks timely? Are they producing good quality work? Are they helping your team reach your objectives and key results? Success in a role is not defined by how many hours you’ve worked.
Conclusion
Following best practices for managing virtual teams can help any team improve. It can help them improve their engagement, productivity, and business results. The starting steps take time and thoughtful consideration. The initial steps include identifying and implementing remote communication processes. Also, partnering with an experienced project manager can help. Skilled independent project managers help ensure the team’s virtual communication is efficient. With the proper project management, you can help your time work efficiently.
