Managing a Virtual Team

Welcome to Mind Tools' Video Learning Series from Emerald Works.

Many organizations now have virtual teams – whether by choice or necessity. And there are plenty of advantages to this. You can employ people from across the world and across different time zones. Time and money spent on commuting is reduced, and people can work more flexibly.

But, managing a virtual team is not without its challenges.

The single biggest challenge is communication. Without the usual face-to-face interactions, you and your team members will need to work harder to stay in touch.

To do this, you first need to make sure you have the right tech in place. Weigh up the importance of text, audio and video communication. Choose apps that allow you to track work, share files and collaborate. And make sure everyone knows how to use these and can access them easily.

Schedule regular online get-togethers. These don't always need to be about work. They're also a good opportunity to catch up with each other informally.

Also, hold face-to-face meetings now and then, if you can. Your team will be even stronger if members get to spend some time together in person.

The next major challenge you'll face is monitoring performance and productivity.

It's easy to miss problems if you don't see people every day. It's also harder to spot when they've done something great!

Schedule regular one-on-ones to get updates on people's objectives, and to offer guidance and praise. But, also, to find out how they're getting on more generally.

Set clearly-defined goals to help people to work with purpose and direction. Doing this will also help you to track progress and spot any issues. Are people achieving what you expect from them? Do you need to provide extra support?

Make use of online productivity apps such as Asana or Trello. You can use these to delegate tasks, monitor progress toward goals, and manage joint projects.

The third challenge is motivating your virtual team. How will you help people to stay happy, engaged and productive when you all work far apart?

First, empower your people! Do this by setting out a compelling vision that they can "buy in" to, and encourage them to take initiative and make decisions on their own.

Build trust, by giving them all the information they need to carry out their tasks effectively. Be reliable and consistent, and follow through on the promises you make.

Last but not least, find ways to celebrate people's successes, work anniversaries and personal achievements. That way, you'll help them to feel valued and connected to one another and the wider organization.

To learn more about how to manage a virtual team, read the article that accompanies this video.