Managing any team associated with multifactorial challenges and difficulties, especially when it comes to remote working, as building and maintaining a strong corporate culture not always as easy as it seems.
When it comes to virtual teams, there are many possible ways to manage remotely while still providing a pleasant working environment for the team and facilitating a productive work environment.
So how can you ensure that you are leading your remote team to success?
1. Set Communication Norms
Managing a virtual team means that you will not have live interaction with your employees, as your whole communication will be maintained via phone/emails or online communication platforms.
To do this, try to create a structured system for team interaction, including meeting schedules, expressing opinions/ideas/disagreements, and developing criteria for problem prioritization. Determine which channels you will use for day-to-day communication while considering the best practices for your employees (for example, phone, email, chat rooms, online communication platforms).
Create and circulate an agenda before each meeting and follow-up, with a summary of the follow-up.
2. Build Trust
It is imperative to have a trustful relationship and build loyalty within your team, but it is much more challenging to do this remotely. As a virtual team leader, you need to find ways to establish this connection and create an atmosphere of trust between all team members. Do not micro-control your team, as it may make them concerned about the quality of their work or mistrust from the management team. Instead, set clear expectations, set deadlines, and then let your team take ownership of their work.
3. Track Productivity
As a virtual team manager, you need to make sure that your team use their time wisely and productively. Use productivity tracking software that will help determine whether any of your employees are behind the working schedule. By using such tools, employees will be able to mark completed tasks, seek advice, and keep everyone informed of their progress.
4. Stimulate Team Engagement
Building trust within a team requires engagement, and since you don’t have the same team-building capabilities remotely, there are other ways you can promote trust and inspire enthusiasm in your company.
To maintain the involvement of your team and make them feel a part of the team, you should promote team bonding by setting time for small,
informal talks in a separate chat to share their interest, hobbies and thoughts.
Schedule team meetings outside-of-office meetings, as well as one-on-one meetings with your team members, as this will allow people to connect more closely than they would virtually. Informal team meetings will help break the routine necessary to increase your team members’ productivity, enhance communication, and minimize conflicts that arise when working over long distances.
In the end, it’s all about your company’s culture and how you can create it in your virtual space.
