FAQ For Managers On Virtual Team-Building
Although the concept of remote work and the presence of hybrid teams existed even before the pandemic, it was not as widespread as it is now.
According to experts, remote teams are bound to become more commonplace as more and more people affirm their practicality and advantages over traditional office work. In fact, according to Buffer's 2022 State of Remote Work published, 97% of their respondents from all over the world overwhelmingly recommend remote work.
It's no surprise that we've seen an increase in companies offering remote work as an option for their employees. And with its rise to prominence is the growing need for managers to step up and improve their skills in leading and building teams virtually.
Remote work creates a unique set of challenges for managers, especially those who have been accustomed to managing in-person teams. Managers need to understand how they can best manage a remote team and how their leadership style can adapt to allow for it.
This FAQ answers some of the challenging circumstances managers might encounter when leading virtual teams:
How can I trust that my team is working when I can't see them?
Leading virtual teams is challenging because it's difficult to gauge whether your team members are working effectively. You can't see them, so you won't be able to spontaneously engage them about their work or provide real-time feedback on how they're doing. One thing that managers should always do is to assume the best of your team — that they want to do their best and are putting their best effort into their work.
This can be especially challenging when your company has many remote workers who may be scattered across different time zones and have varying degrees of experience working remotely. You may wonder if they're putting in the effort required to get the job done and whether or not they're staying on top of their tasks.
While it is natural to harbour doubts when you do not have a physical overview of what is being done, one thing to bear in mind is that trust works both ways. Do not confront them immediately or approach them with a prejudged bias that they are not pulling their weight. When you discuss what's on their plate, come up with clear deliverables and deadlines to minimise any miscommunication. Once that's done, give them the time and space to complete it without interfering in the process.
How can I build a culture of accountability?
Accountability begins with trust (which we covered in the question above). Once trust is established, a culture of accountability is sustained through communication. You don't have to be in the same physical location to "communicate" or hold your team accountable for their tasks. Clear communication also involves setting clear expectations for yourself and others.
This can be done through weekly meetings or stand-up calls. In these meetings, go over what needs to be accomplished and when it's due. If a task still needs to be completed on time, talk about what went on and how future issues may be avoided. Consider using a work management system such as Basecamp, Slack, or Asana so that each person can see what is being worked on by others on the team. This helps every one in the team get a clear picture of the overall projects as well as the specific deliverables necessary for it to be completed.
How do I build team dynamics in a remote team?
In any team, members need to get to know each other and learn how everyone works. Nevertheless, even in traditional work environments, team dynamics can be difficult to define and maintain; the challenge is even more significant when working remotely.
An excellent place to start is through virtual corporate team-building workshops. The goal of virtual team building is pretty much the same as that of traditional ones — to increase your organization's effectiveness through better team bonding and dynamics while fostering camaraderie among employees who are not co-located — only with the platform being moved online.
When done properly and in the right context, these team-building workshops will prove their worth in strengthening your virtual teams. They can also be a way to help new hires grow into their roles more quickly by learning about each other and their working styles.
What if I have unproductive people in my remote team?
Unproductive team members can affect overall team morale, so it's best to address it immediately when you can. If you have an unproductive remote team member, you might jump to the conclusion that they are lazy or unwilling to work. However, that assumption might not always be true. More often than not, your "unproductive" team members might just have a different working style from you.
For instance, some team members may be external processors and instinctively communicate (or sometimes over-communicate) what they are doing or initiate meetings to discuss how to get things done. Others may prefer to process their approach internally before opening up to the team for discussion. Managers might assume the external processors to be "more productive" and the internal processors to be "less productive" when it is simply an inherent difference in working styles.
Before labelling them as "unproductive", have a conversation with them to understand their working style and how they approach their job tasks. If the conversations proves your "assumption" true, instead of punishing them, partner with them in exploring options to ensure better time management or how their workload can be distributed.
Final Thoughts
The challenges that managers face when managing virtual teams are inherently the same challenges as that of in-person teams — things like establishing trust, boosting morale, enhancing performance — albeit manifested differently.
Given how the future of work will continue to evolve, companies should not take their eye off the power of virtual team-building and how that can help unlock the dormant performance in their remote teams.
Written by Rachel Chai
Connectedness • Empathy • Strategic • Belief • Context
Rachel is a Strengths School™ Certified Strengths Trainer and the Content Lead at Strengths School™. Being deeply introspective, she believes in helping others draw connections between how their unique strengths play out in their lives.
