Developing a team is a tentative, complicated process, but building a virtual team is even more tricky. More often than not, management is suddenly called to put a team together that can work remotely. They are asked to change everything about the way they work as well as everything about the way their team works and hit the ground running.
It’s not easy building a virtual team that is successful, but it definitely isn’t impossible. In this post, we are going to walk you through step by step how to build a virtual team that is set up for success. We will cover the following.
- What is a Virtual Team?
- Virtual Teams vs. Colocated Teams, Key Differences
- Before You Build Your Virtual Team
- How To Build Virtual Teams That Perform
- Get The Ball Rolling, How To Build Virtual Teams
- Managing & Maintaining, How To Build Virtual Team
For those of you with seasoned virtual teams, we also explore ways to ensure team success when you are knee-deep in remote work.
What is a Virtual Team?
A virtual team is a group of professionals asked to collaborate on a project or objective from different locations. These can all be members of the same organization, or they can be a part of different companies that need to work together. They are a relatively new phenomenon made possible by the technology we have available today.
You weren’t sending in your work via pigeon, that’s for sure.
Sometimes, these teams can be built intentionally, and other times they are born of necessity. Depending on that difference, leadership can either land in this less-than-ideal position or their team is excited to move into this territory. Either way, you have a lot of options moving forward and, likewise, a lot of decisions to make that will impact the success of your team.
Some of the reasons people make the switch to remote work include
- Responding to a crisis
- Needing more diverse expertise regardless of location
- Reduce overhead costs associated with keeping a physical location
- Needing more flexibility in how the team completes their work
Virtual Teams vs. Colocated Teams, Key Differences
Before we go any further, we’d like to discuss the elephant in the room. Just because you can go virtual doesn’t mean you should. The same goes for working in person. You have to listen to your team. Sure, there might be no option besides fully remote or fully in-person, but for those who have flexibility—ask your team what they prefer.
To help you understand your options, let’s go through all the benefits of each work setup.
Some of the most blatant benefits of having remote teams include
- Each person is valued for the skills they bring to the table, rather than just being the best option based on your location
- Saving money on overhead costs of maintaining an office
- Lack of commuting results in giving people more control of their time
- Location isn’t limiting, which means people can work from any place they choose
- Working can be done when it suits each person (i.e. morning person or night owl)
- Physical disabilities and limitations do not matter
None of these benefits are to be dismissed. So many who work a classic 9-5 complain of how limiting and crushing that work structure can be. “Soul-sucking” is a term thrown around a lot to describe that system. It makes sense that companies are trying to balance producing and performing with this new working landscape.
But just as there are benefits, there are also challenges, and they cannot be ignored. Some of the most pressing challenges to building virtual teams include
- Communication is less common and always official
- Letting go of the clock
- Lack of collaboration
- Being blind to the work of their colleagues
- Lack of trust and poor delegation
No matter the nature of your team, these issues are always lurking in the distance. And without careful planning or intention, they will run your team ragged.
Before You Build Your Virtual Team
So, with all that can go wrong fresh in your mind, let’s talk about how to build your virtual team and enjoy the benefits of this new working system right off the bat.
NOTE: Even if you’re years into working with a virtual team, many of these pointers and tips will still apply to you and help alleviate any issues you face.
1. What Does Success Look Like?
For most people, a successful team usually checks off some of these boxes.
- Consistent results that are on time and meet company standards
- Self-disciplined and able to work with minimal supervision
- Each member is able to offer new perspectives and understand those of others
- Steady and quick communication and responsiveness
- There is a unified approach to each project and its completion
- Support is regular and plentiful
Consider why this team is being assembled and decide what success means to you. If there are metrics, you can observe them to indicate success and performance and think about how you can display them.
2. What Values Matter Most?
Management has a lot of control over how the team functions. Depending on how you define success, you can also decide what characteristics your team needs to have. In the beginning, we recommend that you make sure each team member understands what is expected of them and what standards they will be held to.
Some features we recommend you try to implement in your virtual team include
- Trust – Let people know you trust them to do their jobs and complete their tasks (until you have a reason not to)
- Resilience – When goals are not met, forgive and figure out how to do better next time.
- Welcoming New Members – Don’t gatekeep information or eat the young.
- Support – When people have problems meeting goals, step in to help. Ask others if they would be willing to do the same. Assist and educate wherever possible.
- Communication – Have open and regular discussions about what is happening, what has happened, and how you can all support each other.
- Transparency – Show progress and ask others to do the same. Share the vision, share each team member’s place in it, and create a path to it.
3. Who Are The Right People?
When you are building a virtual team, you aren’t limited by location, commute length, or even time zones. You can use people who freelance their services part-time, are a part of other teams, or are in a different company. You have a lot of options. The only real limit is your budget.
All we will say on this point is that your team needs to have a good rhythm. And management can support that effort by creating regular meetings, conferences, and calls. Share the meeting agenda in advance, and don’t make the meetings so often that everyone just says, “All good here!”
Get The Ball Rolling, How To Build Virtual Teams
At the point where you begin working on goals and objectives, you might not have the whole puzzle figured out, and that’s okay. You might get more help as time moves on, and you might whittle the team down a bit.
Whatever the case, there will come a time when you have to work with what you have. Building virtual teams is sort of synonymous with maintaining them. So, as you settle on the path toward your goals, ensure you do so with intention.
If you do some of these things, your life will be easier.
4. Clarifying Your Work Systems & Processes
There is a preferred way to complete every task. Figure out what that is. Create systems and workflows from the get-go. Don’t just let people email back and forth a million times. Involve technology, management systems, and any other resources you can to make logical, efficient systems for getting work done.
5. Preface With Training
This one is especially important for teams who have never done virtual work before. It’s not like “working on vacation,” so making sure people have all the tools they need to succeed in this system can save you a lot of hassle down the road. These trainings can cover how to use the technology they have access to, how to navigate working from home as a human or communicate in a virtual workplace.
Ask your team what issues they predict or anticipate and provide training to address those concerns.
6. Introduce Tools Immediately
Tools are there to help you, and if they don’t do that… DON’T USE THEM. We are not kidding. Project management tools need to be placed in front of people from the start. They need to be easy to use and act as a resource for storing, organizing, and displaying any relevant information.
Make sure everyone is updated when changes are made to the system and allow for both communication and collaboration. You cannot just rely on emails and to-do lists.
7. Have A Physical Meeting First
We understand that this is not always possible, but it is preferred. Getting an “in real life” view of someone as a person can tell you a lot about them, and that information is crucial for working together effectively. Having conversations face-to-face is always superior to a phone call or a video chat, and if you can start with that, you’ll notice team cohesion is improved immediately.
As time goes on, commit to some form of regular communication.
PRO TIP: Have team members schedule some time each day when they are open to calls and then make it a standard where, if there is an issue or a question, team members are encouraged to call and have a conversation about that topic. This can help your team members get to know each other and will allow everyone to limit or increase that window as they see fit.
8. Establish Clear Goals
Remember when we discussed deciding what success means? That’s what this is. You need to let people know what they are working towards. Then, as they work through daily tasks, they can navigate each situation with a clear understanding of the overarching objective. ***This is very, very important. Do not skip this.***
9. Cultivating Relationships
At the beginning of each meeting, take the first 10 minutes to allow everyone to check-in. Give people space to share what is going on in their lives, what issues they are facing, what wins they’ve had lately, etc. Make sure people understand that they are a part of a team, then give them space to be a part of it truly.
Managing & Maintaining, How To Build Virtual Teams
In this section, as we discuss how to build virtual teams, we are also going to cover how you keep them running.
10. Allow For Flexibility
Sure, they are at home, and that’s great, but do they actually have control of their time, or is this just a new version of the old 9-5?
People think that working from home, no matter what your hours are, is simply a walk in the park. But it’s not as simple. Research found that during the pandemic when there was a huge increase in remote work, people were working up to three hours more than when they were in the office. Also, burnout became increasingly common as people lost the separation between their work life and their personal life.
A great way to prevent all of that is by letting people work when they want. By allowing for flexible work hours, you let people do the following.
- Work when they are at their best
- Take breaks as needed
- Self-govern and take control of their work and schedule
- Work in a healthier state of mind
- Be more focused and productive
11. Use Project Management Tools
You actually have to use these things for them to be worth it. When you are deciding how to build your virtual team, make sure you choose the best project management platform for that team.
Also, encourage your team to update it daily.
12. Don’t Forget That Culture Is Important
Virtual teams fail when the culture isn’t cared for. Instill values like comradery, support, positivity, collaboration, and accountability. Are you management? Start that trend and watch it bloom.
Remember, when in person, people learn about their colleagues and bond just by being in the same room. You don’t have as many opportunities to do that when you work virtually, so be sure to give your team the chance whenever you can.
13. Publicly Praise People
Do not assume that people know they are doing a good job. When something is successful, take 10 seconds and mention it in a meeting. When you like something, tell the person who made it that you liked it.
It seems simple, but this will go a long way.
14. Share The Load Of Leadership
Wherever possible, find ways to hand the task of leadership off to team members. Place them in charge of aspects of a project. Give them the final say on creative decisions. Allow them to take the reins and prove themselves. Not only will this increase engagement by a lot, but it will also help take some of that burden off management’s shoulders.
15. Have One-on-One Meetings
Whatever you do, do not forget to have one-on-one meetings with your team members. More than just a quarterly review, there needs to be a regular rhythm of someone checking in with each person and making sure they aren’t struggling—as well as simply getting to know them.
Help Your Team Be Their Best To Do Their Best
As you understand how you want to build your virtual team, make sure the main objective is to help the team perform at their best. And that goes beyond metrics. Building a virtual team is a chance to try a new way of working and making it work for you.
Sure, it’s a lot different from the usual office setup, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
People really like working from home because it helps them do their jobs while feeling more present and in control of their lives at home, literally and figuratively. Management simply needs to support that flexibility while balancing productivity, and if handled with care, it is more than possible.
