Managing A Virtual Team

Managing a virtual team is understandably and expectedly more challenging for some undeniable reasons. No direct supervision, you don’t see what they do during working hours, different locations, and worst, the personal issues they have, could also affect their current mood, and job performance.

Here are some friendly tips that I have tried, and still works well so far:

1. Give detailed instructions. Not everyone has the same skill sets as yours. Some could be slow in comprehension but surprisingly excels in some areas. This way the quality of work does not get compromised. You will also save a lot of time without having to do it all over again.

2. Assess where they are good at. Sometimes, someone who is good at numbers is surprisingly best at designs. It helps to know where they are also good at except the ones that they have already told you during the hiring process.

3. Reward System. It is best to recognize what they have achieved and accomplished all the time, but sometimes it doesn’t motivate enough with just a simple “Good job!” or “Job well done!” especially if it requires them to sit in front of their computers on a longer time. Cash rewards you know? That really works!

4. Know their personal side. This could get challenging to many, as not everyone is ready to open up, but you can try by simply gathering them first on a regular huddle, ask them how their weekend was and other personal plans for the coming week. Video conferencing could also add fun to that!

5. Set up your own reminders and things-to-do. I admit, I still depend on a traditional work system. Despite having an automated CRM at most tasks assigned to each and everyone, it still works best to keep an old school list outside the system. That way you will have another back-up just in case everyone forgets.

6. Be a friend who listens when they need one. Do not only check the tasks that they have completed for the day, or have not achieved but check on them, too, once in a while. Who knows, they need a friend at that moment and that could be you.

I could go on and on and share my first-hand experiences, what worked, and what did not, but I thought these points would also help > How To Make A Remote Team Better?