There have been many technological advances that have made virtual teams possible in today’s world. Virtual teams enable you to have an office and team virtually without a physical office.
You are said to be a part of a virtual team when you work together for the same company, yet rarely meet in person and communicate only through audio and video conferences. People prefer virtual teams because they can work remotely from home, but virtual teams are not everyone’s cup of tea. Some people prefer the practice of going to a physical office.
The concept of virtual teams has become popular recently and bears fruitful results. However, it would benefit you if you choose suitable strategies and put in the effort. Whether you want to upgrade your skills or are a beginner in virtual teams, here are the best strategies for building a virtual team that you should focus on.
3 Important Strategies of Virtual Teams
We have discussed 3 important strategies that will help organizations develop effective virtual teams below:
Strategy 1: Time Zone and Time Management
Time management is a significant aspect you must remember while building a successful virtual team. It would help if you made strategies so that every virtual team member is comfortable with the time.
It might be possible that members of your team live in different time zones. One might go to bed, while the other might wake up. You have to decide an accessible time for all the team members to set up and attend meetings. In this case, the best strategy is to rotate the timings or working hours.
Rotating working hours makes it possible for every member to work early in the morning or late in the evening or night. A time zone is also an advantage for the whole team. A team member might send work late at night, but another team member receives it early in the morning, creating a proper time zone and usage interval.
The difference in the time zone may create less room for discussion and communication. The best strategy to solve this issue is to have multiple phone and email conversations until you find a solution.
It is vital to remember and build a mindset that the difference in time zone is insignificant because the virtual team shares a common goal.
Strategy 2: Communication and Cohesion
The main reason for the failure of virtual teams is a feeling of disconnect, which some virtual team members feel. This only happens when communication is weak.
No member should be treated as less important than others, even if it is a virtual team. Priorities and responsibilities should be given based on the tasks assigned and the consistency of every team member.
When the reporting structure or communication between team members is weak, it can create communication gaps and a lack of understanding in the team. Make it clear and ensure that every member of your virtual team has all possible technology for communication, such as email, webcam, internet connection, instant messenger, etc.
If any virtual team member faces technical or communication issues, the team leader should hold themselves responsible for developing practical solutions.
It is imperative to have meetings and interactions with every team member regularly. Even if there is no need for a meeting every day, you can invite and interact with every virtual team member for at least 5 minutes and build up their day spirit to work actively.
Communication and cohesion strategies are important to make a virtual team successful. Ensure you clear the following aspects of communication while building a virtual team with your team members:
- Technology or means of communication that will be used.
- The frequency of communication.
- How to increase the probability of communication required at the right time.
- Aspects of work or projects that require more communication than others.
Strategy 3: Norms and Expectations
A virtual team must know what a successful virtual team member looks like. Clear all the rules, regulations, norms, expectations and goals for every team member of your virtual team.
Every virtual team member should know what protocols to follow and what protocols are out of the line. Encouraging every member to be active and visible in the virtual team is important. It is also important that the response and communication time should be accurate.
Every virtual team member must understand the importance of time management, discipline, skills, maturity, etc., to be a significant part of the team. Hence, every member of your virtual team should trust each other and be dependent.
Show team members that you rely on them and expect timely deliveries with outstanding performance. Emphasize how it is vital for them to be consistent in their performance. Fulfil every commitment you make and appreciate the work of every virtual team member.
Bonus Strategy
In addition to the top strategies given above, here is a bonus strategy for virtual teams. If your virtual team decides to meet someday, then the best way to bring them together for a memorable time is through interactive events.
Be updated on the latest events and try to attend them together. You do not see your virtual team members every day. Therefore, attending an event together makes it possible to bond with virtual team members and build cohesion.
Events make interaction and getting to know each other more exciting and memorable. They also make it easier and more fun to solve existing problems and develop new strategies. It strengthens a virtual team spirit among team members, which will help them to be more productive and successful.
Virtual teams can have their ups and downs, but overall it is a great advantage and use of technology in today’s world. Consistency and communication are the main aspects of virtual teams that can lead to success and achieve greater heights.
It is also helpful to the person in charge and every virtual team member to have regular meetings and interactions. One of the main challenges virtual teams face nowadays is a sense of disconnection. As the team works virtually and barely gets a chance to meet every member in person, they might feel disconnected from the work and other virtual team members.myHQoffers contemporary virtual offices where you can work and connect with your team members to keep your creative and innovative spirits high and yield significant organizational results.
FAQson Virtual Teams
The following are a few important Frequently Asked Questions about virtual teams:
What are the basics of successful virtual leadership
Communication, culture and connection are the frameworks of successful virtual leadership.
What is the one strategy that can bring effectiveness to a virtual team
Regular communication can bring effectiveness to a virtual team.
What are a few types of virtual teams
Networked Teams, Parallel Teams, Action Teams, etc., are some types of virtual teams.
What are the features of virtual teams
The core features of virtual teams include technical skills, communication skills, cohesion, trust, etc.
What are the characteristics of virtual teams
The top characteristics of a virtual team include attentiveness and trust.
Indeed, virtual team members cannot create personal connections with other team members because they do not run into each other daily. However, it is possible to communicate every once in a while. Virtual teams cannot be said to be completely different, worse, or better than in-house teams and physical offices.
Virtual teams have different dynamics and strategies to get in touch to become successful. For the best management of virtual teams, every member should have a good sense of knowledge about expectations and responsibilities. The team head of the virtual team should ensure that team members are motivated and passionate and believe they are all set for an exciting and successful career path.
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