Common Problems Professionals Face When Managing a Team Virtually

Can you feel the shift of the business world? Look around you. Listen to the buzz. 

We are steadily moving away from traditional practices, cramped cubicles, and rigid, outdated beliefs as to what constitutes the right way to run a business. We are evolving and we are leaving behind the traditional office space and moving toward virtual management.

Virtual teams and office rentals are steadily becoming one of the most popular changes in the world of business. No longer are we bound to local talent and overpriced lease agreements. The business of the future is boundless, with an infinite reach and no shortage of resources to manage virtual teams stationed all around the state, country, or even the world.

However, as is the case for all good things, managing virtual teams doesn’t come without its own set of obstacles and challenges. Fortunately for you, there are ways you can easily overcome the challenges of virtual teams and anticipate problems before they can take root. In this article, we’ll walk you through three common challenges that leaders face when managing their off-site employees and give you the insight you need to combat and prevent such challenges.

Communication

As you may have already predicted, muddled communication is arguably the largest threat to remote teams and scattered employees. In fact, poor communication is a formidable threat to the livelihood of any company, whether their employees are working remotely or not. While virtual teams bring a lot of great benefits to the table, businesses sacrifice a powerful line of open communication when their employees aren’t working just a few steps away.

It is imperative to the success of your virtual operation that you prioritize communication. While you won’t be able to schedule many (if any) face-to-face meetings with departments or individuals, you can utilize meeting room rentals and other technological resources to work around this barrier.

Video conferencing is one such resource that you shouldn’t shy away from. If you take full advantage of this virtual line of communication, you can make sure that everyone is on the same page, deadlines are reached, and questions are resolved. Host regular meetings via web conferencing just as often as you would host in-person meetings.

If you’re working from a virtual office space, contact the front desk to ask about what services they have available to help you communicate with your teams effectively. Davinci, for example, offers video conferencing services that can unite up to 25 invitees and elevate your meetings with screen sharing, recording, and more.

Engagement

Employee engagement is a crucial component of any successful business. This principle still rings true for remote workers, but as the saying goes: out of sight, out of mind. One drawback to managing a virtual team is the lack of opportunities to build trust, loyalty, and engagement. One of the best ways to combat this challenge is to provide plenty of chances for team members to collaborate with one another and communicate with their fearless leader.

Communication is key, but collaboration will make or break your employee engagement. In addition to regular video conferences with your employees, you should also encourage your management and team leaders to engage in this line of communication with their team members on an individual basis.

It’s also important to present a crystal-clear mission statement and brand identity that your employees can relate to. With a strong brand identity, you can create a company that your virtual team can relate to -- even from a distance. Give them something tangible to hold on to. Give them a clear, defined purpose in your mission statement.

The idea here is to prevent a detached mindset. Even though your employees are working remotely, they should still feel like a strong and important part of the company’s goals and long term vision.

Accountability

Unfortunately, a lack of accountability and ownership comes easily without a superior to admit fault face to face. Without adequate levels of accountability, productivity invariably takes a hit, which results in missed deadlines, sloppy work, and dissatisfied clients.

In order to prevent a harmful lack of accountability among your virtual team, it’s crucial that you employ a strong accountability system from the very start. Clear expectations, firm deadlines, and frequent meetings will help you maintain accountability and keep your employees productive and motivated.

You may also want to consider adopting a company-wide online platform that your employees can use to set goals, update their progress, and collaborate with other employees on big projects. With this type of platform, your team leaders can monitor the performance of their team and take responsibility for the accountability of those who work directly under them.

Manage Your Virtual Team Effectively with Davinci

Allow us to help you manage the challenges of virtual teams with our full-service meeting room rentals. Choose from an expansive selection of professional meeting rooms and take advantage of our additional services such as video conferencing, high-tech presentation tools, lobby greeters, and so much more. Contact Davinci today to find out what else we can do to help you manage your virtual team with as little hassle as possible.

About Coco Quillen

Coco is the Vice President of Operations at Davinci Meeting Rooms. She manages the strategic development and operational implementation of services for Davinci. She works closely with all teams to ensure customers are well taken care of. Google