Maintaining team connection while employees are working
remotely is one of the primary difficulties of managing virtual teams. According
to studies, teams that work in different places have lower levels of trust and
more conflict than teams that work together.
Communication barriers are the root of many problems with remote
working. (Norwich University Online, 2020)
According to a poll conducted by the Economist, these
problems can lead to incomplete tasks, exceeded performance targets, revenue
lost, as well as less obvious consequences like stress and bad spirit. On the
other hand, productive virtual teams are frequently more productive and engaged
than office teams. According to surveys, remote workers express greater job
satisfaction. (Norwich University Online, 2020)
Despite the individuality of every firm, organizations use
of remote employees faces similar difficulties. Due to the isolation of remote
labor, problems might continue longer. They may harm collaboration among teams
and have an influence on the entire organization if they are not acknowledged
and addressed with.
While many digital solutions support communication across remote employees, they can lack the personalisation of in-person interactions. Text-based communication, like as email and text messages, lacks important nonverbal indicators like body language and tone that employees pick up from in-person conversations, which increases the possibility of misunderstanding. When working remotely, team members could be less outgoing on digital platforms and less likely to attend meetings or respond to emails. (Norwich University Online, 2020)
Getting everyone together in the first place is one of the
toughest problems for virtual teams. Employees could be detached all over the
world, which makes scheduling a meeting much more challenging. (Davey, 2021)
Although the epidemic was included in Buffer's study on the
state of remote working in 2021, the majority of problems were shared by
long-term home-workers. However, communication and teamwork became the area
where workers struggled the most during the pandemic. (Davey, 2021)
Use virtual communication guidelines;
Decide on certain work hours
Make certain times online during which everyone on your team
must be present compulsory. Teammates in different time zones will be able to
efficiently cooperate and schedule their work as a result.
Response time restrictions
Set a time limit for a virtual employee's email or message
response. Teams will operate efficiently as a result, and no question or
request will go unanswered for too long.
Keeping language informal and slang-free
Avoiding slang and references to particular cultures in
official channels can be beneficial if your remote team includes members from
diverse regions of the world and cultures. These could be unfamiliar to
everyone, which could cause miscommunications or even disputes.
Proper communication equipment;
Tools for virtual team communication are made to simplify
your life and assist you in maintaining communication with your colleagues and
guarantee that everyone is on the same page.
Using instant messaging and chats; Helpful for rapid
questions and answers. Slack and Google Meet are the best tools.
You can host group calls and video conferences with the use
of video conferencing. the best tools Xoom ,Skype and Teams
Share files with your team and collaborate on them by
keeping all of your team's files in one location. Best tool - G Suite , Google
drive
Web-based phone calls: To prevent interruptions while
working, keep your personal smartphone away from your desk. Utilize a virtual
phone system for all of your business calls to improve concentration and
production.
Challenge 2 - Developing collaboration with the team
The opportunity to develop deep connections with teammates
and other team members is another difficulty for virtual teams. In the
workplace, workers converse during their lunch breaks, while obtaining coffee,
and while sitting at their desks. (Davey, 2021)
It will be a little more challenging for remote teams to
have brief interactions. Furthermore, a Smartsheet survey revealed that 80% of
respondents said working from home made them feel less connected. (Davey, 2021)
Teams' motivation levels and general satisfaction with an
organization are affected when they experience remoteness and disconnection. (Davey,
2021)
As virtual team members don't communicate with their
coworkers, this can lead to a lack of team spirit. This can then lead to a lack
of trust and hesitation to rely on coworkers.
This will eventually affect how well your virtual team
collaborates. Without enough interpersonal interaction, not only is
collaboration limited but members can also lose motivation, which would further
impair performance. (Martin, 2020)
Solutions;
Create a general discussion forum or chat room for the
entire team.
Set aside a certain amount of time each week to keep up with
everyone's progress.
Invite coworkers to socialize during the initial phase of
formal meetings so that they may get to know one another.
Hold a physical team meeting occasionally, if your budget
permits.
Challenge 3 – Team Accountability
When leading virtual teams, lack of responsibility can be a
serious problem. According to a recent Harvard Business Review research, some
managers have trouble building trust with their remote workforce. On the
contrary, 41% of managers acknowledged that it can be difficult to keep remote
workers motivated over the long run.
How would you know, if one of your workers is working
remotely:
If your online workers are indeed productive?
If they charge you for unproductive hours?
if they spend work hours on distracting websites?
Virtual responsibility is not only challenging to monitor,
but it can also have an impact on an employee's output.
While there is no direct supervision, virtual teams could
lack the will to be effective— particularly if they are utilized to regular
supervision in a typical office. Their growth and results might drop as a result.
Solutions;
The accountability gap can be filled for the majority of
remote teams by using employee monitoring and time tracking solutions.
Track the tasks that each team member is working on and the
time it takes to complete them.
Keep track of the websites and apps that are accessed during
working hours.
Using time usage reports, evaluate effectiveness
Identify the limitations on production.
Challenge 4 - Increase Work Standards
Set aims and goals that are clear.
This aids members of a virtual team in understanding their
particular tasks. They have a goal in mind, so they won't get sidetracked and
will have something to work for. To provide everyone on the team a clear
understanding of their objectives, you may utilize a calendar or project
management software.
Regularly check in and analyze progress.
By frequently following up on virtual team work can keep the
lines of communication open. Inquire about any challenges or issues they may be
experiencing and offer assistance in overcoming them. Regular communication
will encourage virtual employees to participate in their work.
Give advice on boosting productivity.
Your remote workforce should be encouraged to organize their
workplace and ask their relatives and housemates to refrain from calling them
during working hours. The effectiveness of your team can be greatly increased
by making small adjustments like these.
Staying indoors for extended periods of time and a lack of
social engagement can both have a bad effect on mental health. This will not
only have a detrimental influence on virtual employee's health and disposition,
but it will also harm collaboration and communication, which are the two hallmarks
of successful remote teams.
Productivity and performance are also intimately related to mental well-being and mood. When dealing with their emotions and moods, workers may find it challenging to be as productive as they before.
Solutions;
Be an encouraging leader
Leader must contribute as a virtual team leader if virtual
team to deliver the best results possible. Encourage workers to maintain a
healthy work-life balance and avoid overworking themselves. Show that you
understand their issues and permit a set number of paid leaves per month or
quarter.
Always seek advice from the human resources department about
what can do and whether any employee benefits are available that would be of
assistance.
Check in with team members occasionally to prove to them
that you have their back. Inquire after them and see if they require anything
from you. Watch out for in line conduct, such as sudden alterations in the way
you communicate, irregular work schedules, or strange decisions. These are
clear indications that they are having difficulties and could use some
assistance.
In order to prevent someone from feeling pressure to
overwork themselves, make sure the workload is allocated as equally as
possible.
Recognize and honor them
Help your virtual employees get back up when they are
struggling and be sure to express gratitude when they succeed. Make an effort
to frequently recognize each team member's accomplishments. Even just receiving
this acknowledgement may inspire them to push even harder.
Give them a little sign of appreciation, such as a gift
card, though, if they accomplish truly great feats. Keep in mind that your
staff will be considerably more motivated to put in their best effort if they
feel that their work is respected.
References;
- 1. Norwich University Online (2020) 4 Challenges of Virtual Teams and How to Address Them, Norwich University Online. Available at: https://online.norwich.edu/academic-programs/resources/challenges-of-virtual-teams.
- 2. Davey, L. (2021) 6 of the most common virtual team challenges and how to solve them, www.teamwork.com. Available at: https://www.teamwork.com/blog/virtual-team-challenges/.
- 3.
Martin, L. (2020) 7 Biggest Challenges of
Virtual Teams (With Solutions), Time Doctor Blog. Available at: https://www.timedoctor.com/blog/challenges-of-virtual-teams/.
Hi Vish, Great article to read and well structured. As more employers offer remote work opportunities, they're beginning to face challenges that are unique to the nature of remote teams. If you manage a virtual team, it's important to understand the intricacies of this work environment so you can help create a more collaborative and productive team. Virtual teams typically don't share a workspace, which can lead to challenges arising from the lack of a shared timeframe and environment.
ReplyDeleteAs I mention Structure and Trust are most common challenges in workplace
Structure
Structure refers to the role that each member of a team plays. In a virtual team, the manager's role may be clear, but those of the other members might not. This issue is likely the result of the uncertainty that surrounds a remote worker's place with respect to their colleagues, as they may see themselves as lone operators with little direct bearing on the work of others. Such uncertainty can cause inefficiencies in processes.
You may create structure within your team by defining roles so members know what you expect them to do. Create tasks for remote members to ensure everyone knows how to get started on each project. Perhaps introduce the concept of time-blocking as well, which includes scheduling out specific hours of the workday for specific tasks. The first half of the day, for instance, might b for email correspondence, while the second half of the day is for marketing product creation.
Trust
Two factors that contribute to a trusting team dynamic are being able to observe others' contributions and nonverbal cues that convey abstract notions like sincerity and forthrightness. Because of physical separation, both factors are usually absent with virtual teams. Therefore, ill feelings can develop among team members when individuals begin to suspect others of contributing less or when they misinterpret messages as negative or combative.
One way to prevent distrust from forming in your team is to be as transparent as possible. Use task management tools that allow your team to see how each member is progressing toward both individual and shared goals. That way, everyone understands the extent to which their colleagues contribute to the team. Another method is to promote both careful correspondence and deeper reading comprehension, as these skills are fundamental for preventing miscommunication.
You are absolutely correct, and I couldn't agree more about the particular difficulties that virtual teams face. The capacity to effectively manage remote teams has emerged as a crucial competency for leaders and managers in the modern workplace. In fact, a lack of a physical shared office might cause confusion over duties and responsibilities. It makes perfect sense to specify positions and assign certain responsibilities. By creating this degree of transparency, team members are empowered to take responsibility for their contributions and the workflow is streamlined, ultimately leading to a more unified and effective team.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, trust is the foundation of any successful team, but it can be much more difficult to develop in virtual environments. Your suggestion to use task management tools is a priceless way to measure development and encourage openness. It enables team members to better understand each other's contributions and fills the void produced by the lack of in-person contacts (Smith, 2022). The significance of strong writing communication and comprehension abilities must also be emphasized. The possibility of trust difficulties occurring within the team can be minimized by using these abilities to avoid misunderstandings and ensuring that communications are accurately transmitted (Jones, 2021). I value your contribution to this conversation since your views provide a thorough guidelines for developing productive virtual teams.