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THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO MANAGING VIRTUAL TEAMS 1
THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO MANAGING VIRTUAL TEAMS 2
It has become more and more common for companies to send teams that
have traditionally been co-located into remote workspaces. The way we are
accustomed to running our team changes in a remote work environment. Going
from a traditional office environment to a remote workspace can feel like a
significant adjustment for both the leader and the employee. Certain things
may feel easier or more accessible when everyone is in the same space. There is
a certain amount of control that seems to disappear in a remote work world.
However, running a virtual team, just like running an in-office team, requires
strong leadership.
While there are adjustments that you will want to consider in your leadership
strategy, there are a lot of skills you’re already utilizing every day that you will
just need to exercise more intentionally now than you have in the past.
Introduction
THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO MANAGING VIRTUAL TEAMS 3
Establish Clear Rules & Boundaries
WORK SCHEDULE
The idea of working remotely may be a new
concept to a lot of your staff. They may be more
accustomed to, and therefore, more comfortable
in an office environment where they can see
you and other teammates. Setting rules and
boundaries early on the process will help set
you up for success as you transition from office
setting to a virtual environment.
Make sure employees understand your expectations, especially those things that are
specific to the work from home environment that they may suddenly find themselves in.
Even if employees occasionally work from home, it is essential to understand that it is a
significant shift to go from working from home one day a week to now working remotely on
a full-time basis. The earlier and more clarity you provide around rules and expectations, the
better everyone will feel.
A few things you will want to make sure you address include:
Do hours change in a remote work environment? Will they,
should they, can they start earlier in the day now that they
no longer have a commute to build into their schedule?
When should breaks be taken? Is your schedule as the
supervisor different, and when and how can they get ahold
of you if needed? Make sure you also talk about after-
hours needs.
THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO MANAGING VIRTUAL TEAMS 4
WORKSPACE
NON-WORK ACTIVITIES
Establishing guidelines around the home office is very
important. Not everyone’s home is set up to accommodate
a dedicated home office instantly. Many employees may
not have the room to separate their workspace from the
rest of their living space at home. Be understanding of
this and talk about what an appropriate workspace looks
like. What technology do they need to have access to?
How much privacy do they need to have in their home
workspace?
Working from home can provide an entirely new set
of distractions as opposed to what employees were
accustomed to managing within the office. There is
cleaning, laundry, kids, and pets and a number of other
things right outside the door of their home office.
It can be easy for employees to fall prey to the “I’ll just
go do this quickly” thought process, which essentially
takes the employee out of their work and into another
activity not related to their job. Ensuring employees
understand how those other distractions should be
managed throughout the workday will help minimize
misunderstandings in the future.
What should communication look like if issues arise outside of the regular work hours?
When employees transition to a virtual environment, they have constant access. Helping
them understand that access does not create an obligation to respond is important to
prevent burnout and frustration amid what may already be a stressful situation.
THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO MANAGING VIRTUAL TEAMS 5
Communicate Quickly, Clearly and Often
If you had been accustomed to thinking, “I’ll
talk to “x” when I see them” remember that this
option no longer exists. Communication in a
remote environment is going to require effort
and intention. No one will be passing by your
door, which means you will need to take the
time to reach out to individuals.
When in doubt, err on the side of overcommunication. The idea is not to promote the sharing
of mundane or pointless information, but rather to make sure that even the smallest details
are communicated to everyone on the team. The level and amount of information shared
should be consistent with what would have been shared when everyone was in the same
office. When you make an effort to share even the fine points, you can ensure that everyone
is getting more than adequate information to succeed in their jobs in any work environment.
Strive to be ultra clear and concise when communicating with your team. You are at the
mercy of technology, and it is more important than ever that messaging remains direct
and clear. Remember, typing a quick email is not like having a face to face conversation
where you can quickly clear up details and questions. It can be easy to glaze over particular
details when typing an email, but in a remote work environment, exchanging correspondence
requires a lot more back and forth to get the same message across. The more clarity you
provide upfront, the less room there is for misunderstandings.
THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO MANAGING VIRTUAL TEAMS 6
As a leader of the team, you must consider how you communicate now and how to enhance
those skills in a remote work environment. When on phone calls or video conference
meetings, make sure you are listening. You will also want to set communication guidelines,
including expected and appropriate response times. These should be rules that everyone
follows, including you as the leader. If you fail to respond promptly, individuals will start to
feel the weight of separation and may begin to disengage.
Be a proactive communicator. Clarity and transparency are more important in a remote
work environment than they have been because there is a physical disconnect. Making
sure there is clear communication around goals, expectations, deliverables, successes, and
improvements that are needed is critical. If there is a strategic or business decision made
that impacts the team, be open to sharing the reasoning for that decision, so everyone has
the clarification that they need.
Be willing to ask for feedback. Your team will have questions and concerns as the business
continues to move forward in a new way. Giving them the space to express those feelings
and suggest improvements is vital to the communication health of your team.
THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO MANAGING VIRTUAL TEAMS 7
Create Digital Interactions
Maximize technology that is available to
increase connection and productivity. Use
Video whenever possible and require that
all team members participate in this way. It
can be a bit uncomfortable for some people
on your team at first, but this will enable
everyone to create that sense of a face to face
interaction in a digital format.
Video conferencing will also allow you to continue observing reactions through facial
expressions and other body language clues according to Vanessa Van Edwards, Lead
Investigator at Science of People. Body language can be a little more challenging to
decipher via video conferencing. However, it is still important to try and pick up on the subtle
cues that will tell you whether a team member is engaged, struggling, or maybe checking
out.
Encourage frequent and impromptu communication between team members to help foster
those same casual communications and collaborations that took place in the office. To
make this happen, you will want to make sure you are implementing the right technology
that will make this possible. Consider utilizing interactive technology in meetings and chat
group software. Make sure the entire team is aware of all communication tools that are
available to them and how to use them. The right tools will allow employees to interact more
regularly and spontaneously throughout the day. In other words, utilize technology to help
everyone be more present.
THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO MANAGING VIRTUAL TEAMS 8
You will also want to make sure you are continuing to reach out to team members on an
individual basis. Check-in regularly and set a schedule of 1 on 1’s. This will allow you to
connect with each person, discuss specifics of their job and address any concerns they have
separate from the group. Consider asking questions like:
Taking the time to understand each team member’s needs will help create a better
connection between you and the individuals on your team.
Be intentional about sharing success stories and providing positive feedback in every
meeting to ensure the entire group is aware of the accomplishments you continue to have.
By celebrating successes, you can keep employees connected to the goals and purpose of
the team. This ensures each member can see how there are adding value and helps foster
the team dynamic.
What is your workspace set up like?
What is your daily routine?
How do you manage distractions at home? Are you struggling with this?
What helps you feel connected to others when you’re working remotely?
THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO MANAGING VIRTUAL TEAMS 9
Focus on Strategic KPI’s
Ensure that everyone remains clear
on the business objectives and any
modifications that become necessary
in a remote work environment. Discuss
deliverables and tasks involved daily to
keep everyone on the same page and
moving in the same direction, together.
Reviewing information around goals and deliverables consistently will help maintain a
cohesive environment even when the team can’t be together. This also helps you and your
employees clarify what tasks they should be dedicating their time to on any given day.
Virtual disciplinary action can be challenging to do effectively without jeopardizing the
team member’s productivity and feelings about work. Addressing issues must be done more
carefully when you are not in the same physical space. Strive to recognize the efforts of
each team member, coach, and correct behavior that’s not working.
There are bound to be some bumps in the road as you and your team adjust to a new way of
working and interacting. You will experience technology hiccups, deadlines may get missed
and there will be interruptions that you have zero control over. Keep calm, don’t get excited
when things don’t go exactly as planned. When missteps happen, make sure you keep open
lines of communication and get everyone focusing their time and energy back on your
overall goals.
THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO MANAGING VIRTUAL TEAMS 10
Deploy Tactical Empathy
When transitioning from a traditional
office setup to a remote work environment,
employees may have a lot of concerns. Your
team has no greater need than empathy during
stressful times (Dan Pontefract, Founder &
CEO of The Pontefract Group). Empathy helps
to build trust and provide a feeling of stability
for your team.
Recognize and be sensitive to the fact that a change in routine can create a variety of
different reactions amongst your team. Understanding this will help you to better empathize
with each of your employees.
Making sure to check in with employees regularly to see how they are adjusting is critical.
Asking questions like, “How are you?” and “How can I help you today?” are essential
questions that give employees the space they need to express concerns that they have.
Being an empathetic leader proves that you value your team and have their best interest in
mind.
Employees experience a range of life problems that are less visible to you given their remote
status. There may be days that they are edgy and challenging to deal with. Addressing those
behaviors and situations may require you to dig deep when it comes to patience. Don’t
react, but instead ask more questions and get clarification.
Empathy will be crucial to success for you and your team. You will want to expand this skill in
any way possible and reassure employees that your primary concern is for their overall well-
being before anything else.
You and your team are in a significant period of adjustment. Each person is attempting to
tackle several different things all at once. Whether you plan to have employees working
remotely on a short term or long-term basis, it’s essential to make sure you choose solutions
that make sense for both scenarios. Navigating all these changes can be stressful but
implementing the right solutions will reduce that stress and help the whole team make it
through this transition together.