Ultimate Guide To Effectively Manage Virtual Teams

The circumstance may bring new hurdles for managers who have never managed a remote workforce before. Because it is more challenging to observe employees' day-to-day activities or create trust online, misunderstandings emerge that would not occur in reality. Managers must be deliberate in their teams' leadership and modify their management style to meet the unique needs of virtual teams.

Managers find it challenging to maintain the same contact with their remote teams as with their in-person groups. As a result, employees may find it challenging to understand what their boss requires or what they want from their work. Managers should define clear expectations for individual roles and duties and team norms to overcome these obstacles.

To help you along the way, we've put together a guide that will walk you through all you need to know about managing your team virtually.

What is a virtual team?

A remote team, also known as a virtual team, communicates remotely using communication technology such as email, instant messaging, and video or audio conferencing services.

Businesses that want to be both economically and environmentally sustainable have gone virtual.

Virtual teams are less expensive. Getting an office, purchasing materials, and using energy, to name a few things. Virtual teams are formed in many large worldwide corporations.

Every remote employee in a virtual team has the option to work from anywhere they want.

Common challenges of managing virtual teams

As employees work from home more frequently, the issues of managing a remote workforce are becoming more prevalent.

1. Communication among virtual teams

Interaction can be a challenge for remote teams. However, this doesn't have to be.

Teams are frequently distributed across a country or the globe, and you won't have many (if any) opportunities to meet face to face with them. In-person meetings can be inconvenient for various reasons, but without them, our workplace interactions suffer considerably. So, how does a lack of communication impact teamwork efficiency?

The following are some of the consequences of poor communication:

• Stress levels are higher.
• Issues and disagreements.
• Deadlines that were not met.
• Customers that are dissatisfied.

So you might be wondering, what is the solution to this?

If you're in charge of a team, establishing some ground rules is a good idea. Some examples include:

• To get work done and solve problems as a team, have virtual meetings and collaborative sessions.
• Outline the normal application usage, including communication norms (e.g., use an instant chat facility instead of email for more important problems) and when everyone should be online.
• Clearly communicate your objectives and expectations.
• Appoint meeting facilitators to encourage free discourse and help the team through difficult difficulties to create an open and honest work atmosphere.

There are numerous solutions available to help you connect and collaborate with your team. When it comes to virtual office planning, you'll need to include tools for:

• Calling through video (RingCentral, Zoom)
• Messages (RingCentral, Slack, Microsoft Teams)
• Collaboration on the Visual Level (MURAL, Figma)
• Time tracker

2. Employees hardware and software

Remote workers are typically asked to bring their gadgets to work on. However, when working with a small team, you may have issues with their device's capabilities. Most devices can be streamlined and made to work together. However, laptops and computers might malfunction, the internet can go down, and older devices may not be compatible with newer models.

One of two things may be required of you as an employer. One option is to supply technology to all of your staff and regular check-ups to ensure that they are not experiencing any problems. Of course, it comes at a cost to the employer.

Another alternative is to require particular technology from your employees before forming your remote team. The negatives of this include that well-qualified employees may be unwilling to pay for new devices if needed, and you may lose employees or their morale as a result!

If appropriate, meet them in the middle and tell them they can keep their current equipment while you pay for the software they require, such as premium virus scanning software and computer health checks. Alternatively, you may allocate a percentage of funds to people's gadgets, focusing on those with lesser incomes.

3. Remote project and task management

Planning and tracking their projects and duties becomes more complex when your staff isn't in the office with you.

Assume you're in charge of a development team and you're working on some fantastic new software that might have a big impact on your company. Your remote staff may have all of the latest digital tools, but if they aren't staying on top of their allocated work, everything will quickly fall apart. It leads to a poor customer experience, and you don't need sarcastic reviews or frantic calls and emails right now.

Thankfully, there are a variety of project management solutions available to help you with this. Asana, Jira, Write, and more are examples. You can use this type of technology to manage projects and collaborate with a remote team.

You can assign tasks to specific team members, divide them into subtasks, and define priorities with comprehensive project management tools. This guarantees that activities are performed on schedule and that no one is confused about who is responsible for what.

4. Lack of concentration and productivity

Working from home has many advantages.

You may work from your own home and roll out of bed straight into the workplace! No more squandered hours on public transportation, embarrassing interactions with the coffee machine, or unflattering office attire! All I have are my pyjamas, a couch, and a fridge full of goodies.

Working remotely necessitates the ability to operate autonomously.

Teach your employees how to work independently. Work targets should be reinforced, and goals and expectations should be stated. Although you are no longer in the workplace, your standards must remain the same.

If you're experienced in working independently, you can give your employees some pointers to get them going. Noise cancellation software, timers, and website blockers are all helpful productivity tools for increasing focus and staying on track. Implementing these technologies and establishing guidelines for their use can be a valuable addition to your team's remote work strategy.

5. Accountability

Holding people accountable is a lot more difficult when they're not right in front of you. How do you know if your team is working or getting distracted by social media or other websites?

Improved team accountability ensures that everyone, whether remote or in-office, can be counted on to complete their tasks and projects on time. It also means that teammates trust each other to do what is right and speak up when they notice that things aren't in order.

Best Tips for managing teams virtually.

We have compiled a list of essential tips that will help you manage your teams virtually without feeling overwhelmed.

1. Give your teams the right equipment
2. Schedule daily check-ins
3. Setting a goal is fundamental
4. Encourage remote social interaction
5. Show flexibility
6. Provide resources
7. Mentor more than manage
8. Take advantage of project management tools
9. Focus on output not processes
10. Increase recognition

Virtual working is here to stay and won't be going away any time soon.

Yes, there are some disadvantages to working remotely, but they can all be addressed with time. When leading a virtual team, it's critical to establish yourself as a trustworthy leader.

Your remote team will deliver the outcomes you require to create a positive virtual work environment built on trust and transparency.