While virtual teams undoubtedly offer numerous advantages, fostering a truly collaborative culture can be challenging for many companies. Building and managing a remote team requires deliberate, ongoing efforts. This article outlines the essential strategies to build a winning virtual team, ensuring innovation and productivity.
1.Implement a Thorough Recruitment Process
- The virtual team-building journey begins with the crucial task of securing the right talent. While this step demands considerable time and attention, some HR departments rush to fill the open positions, leading to bad hires that can impact your bottom line.
On the other hand, implementing a thorough recruitment process, especially through outsourcing ensures the selection of the right candidate. Outsourcing partners streamline virtual team building through the following:
- Expertise in finding local talent
- Good at hiring and retaining local talent
- Can assist in managing and training a virtual team
- Can take care of payroll and compliance
- Can assist with the latest tool and technologies – as it suits their business model
- Can also provide a workspace for increased productivity
This approach ensures the building of a successful and collaborative remote team.
2. Set Clear Goals and KPIs
- Establishing clear goals and KPIs is essential for virtual team building. The challenge lies in ensuring that all remote employees despite being geographically dispersed have a comprehensive understanding of deadlines and deliverables.
Overcoming this challenge requires creating a detailed team management plan with daily, weekly, and monthly tasks. This structured approach improves productivity by aligning everyone on the same page regarding tasks and due dates.
3. Prioritize Continuous Feedback
- Regular check-ins and effective communication should be a primary focus when several remote teams are at work. Dedicate 15-30 minutes of your daily schedule for feedback or a stand-up call.
As a team lead, regularly scheduling one-on-one meetings with your direct reports can enhance the productivity of multiple teams and foster accountability. In addition, consistently providing input on project advancements, addressing challenges, and discussing ideas for process improvement results in a better understanding of timelines.
4. Cultivate Connections Through Virtual Team Building Activities
- Virtual team-building activities are often overlooked as work demands attention, leaving minimal time for social interaction. Setting a monthly target for structured social events is a practical approach to overcome this.
Strategically design remote team-building activities to promote communication and foster virtual team bonding. Designate individuals within the team to organize these relationship-building activities to enhance team cohesion.
“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.”
– Phil Jackson
5. Invest in Continuous Training and Development
- Another strategy for virtual team building is to provide constant support through regular training and development. Allowing employees to plateau may lead them to do the minimum required or seek opportunities elsewhere.
A high-performing team actively seeks learning, development, and success opportunities, creating a continuous cycle. Schedule weekly or monthly training sessions to ensure your remote team is ready to face competition at the best of its capabilities.
6. Demonstrate Effective Leadership Skills
- Successful leadership in a virtual team setting requires you to inspire and guide without regular face-to-face interactions. It is crucial to effectively address ambiguity and cultural differences that may arise within the workforce through electronic communication.
Therefore, it is necessary to maintain consistency, offer support for diverse needs, and lead from behind when necessary. Additionally, cultivate a friendly and approachable demeanor while creating a cohesive virtual team environment.