T PRACTIC MANAG VIRTU EAMS 1 - TOTAL CSR · Introduction. T PRACTIC MANAG VIRTU EAMS 3 Establish Clear Rules & Boundaries WORK SCHEDULE The idea of working remotely may be a new concept

THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO MANAGING VIRTUAL TEAMS 1


It has become more and more common for companies to send teams that

have traditionally been co-located into remote workspaces. The way we are

accustomed to running our team changes in a remote work environment. Going

from a traditional office environment to a remote workspace can feel like a

significant adjustment for both the leader and the employee. Certain things

may feel easier or more accessible when everyone is in the same space. There is

a certain amount of control that seems to disappear in a remote work world.

However, running a virtual team, just like running an in-office team, requires

strong leadership.

While there are adjustments that you will want to consider in your leadership

strategy, there are a lot of skills you’re already utilizing every day that you will

just need to exercise more intentionally now than you have in the past.

Introduction


Establish Clear Rules & Boundaries

WORK SCHEDULE

The idea of working remotely may be a new

concept to a lot of your staff. They may be more

accustomed to, and therefore, more comfortable

in an office environment where they can see

you and other teammates. Setting rules and

boundaries early on the process will help set

you up for success as you transition from office

setting to a virtual environment.

Make sure employees understand your expectations, especially those things that are

specific to the work from home environment that they may suddenly find themselves in.

Even if employees occasionally work from home, it is essential to understand that it is a

significant shift to go from working from home one day a week to now working remotely on

a full-time basis. The earlier and more clarity you provide around rules and expectations, the

better everyone will feel.

A few things you will want to make sure you address include:

Do hours change in a remote work environment? Will they,

should they, can they start earlier in the day now that they

no longer have a commute to build into their schedule?

When should breaks be taken? Is your schedule as the

supervisor different, and when and how can they get ahold

of you if needed? Make sure you also talk about after-

hours needs.


WORKSPACE

NON-WORK ACTIVITIES

Establishing guidelines around the home office is very

important. Not everyone’s home is set up to accommodate

a dedicated home office instantly. Many employees may

not have the room to separate their workspace from the

rest of their living space at home. Be understanding of

this and talk about what an appropriate workspace looks

like. What technology do they need to have access to?

How much privacy do they need to have in their home

workspace?

Working from home can provide an entirely new set

of distractions as opposed to what employees were

accustomed to managing within the office. There is

cleaning, laundry, kids, and pets and a number of other

things right outside the door of their home office.

It can be easy for employees to fall prey to the “I’ll just

go do this quickly” thought process, which essentially

takes the employee out of their work and into another

activity not related to their job. Ensuring employees

understand how those other distractions should be

managed throughout the workday will help minimize

misunderstandings in the future.

What should communication look like if issues arise outside of the regular work hours?

When employees transition to a virtual environment, they have constant access. Helping

them understand that access does not create an obligation to respond is important to

prevent burnout and frustration amid what may already be a stressful situation.


Communicate Quickly, Clearly and Often

If you had been accustomed to thinking, “I’ll

talk to “x” when I see them” remember that this

option no longer exists. Communication in a

remote environment is going to require effort

and intention. No one will be passing by your

door, which means you will need to take the

time to reach out to individuals.

When in doubt, err on the side of overcommunication. The idea is not to promote the sharing

of mundane or pointless information, but rather to make sure that even the smallest details

are communicated to everyone on the team. The level and amount of information shared

should be consistent with what would have been shared when everyone was in the same

office. When you make an effort to share even the fine points, you can ensure that everyone

is getting more than adequate information to succeed in their jobs in any work environment.

Strive to be ultra clear and concise when communicating with your team. You are at the

mercy of technology, and it is more important than ever that messaging remains direct

and clear. Remember, typing a quick email is not like having a face to face conversation

where you can quickly clear up details and questions. It can be easy to glaze over particular

details when typing an email, but in a remote work environment, exchanging correspondence

requires a lot more back and forth to get the same message across. The more clarity you

provide upfront, the less room there is for misunderstandings.


As a leader of the team, you must consider how you communicate now and how to enhance

those skills in a remote work environment. When on phone calls or video conference

meetings, make sure you are listening. You will also want to set communication guidelines,

including expected and appropriate response times. These should be rules that everyone

follows, including you as the leader. If you fail to respond promptly, individuals will start to

feel the weight of separation and may begin to disengage.

Be a proactive communicator. Clarity and transparency are more important in a remote

work environment than they have been because there is a physical disconnect. Making

sure there is clear communication around goals, expectations, deliverables, successes, and

improvements that are needed is critical. If there is a strategic or business decision made

that impacts the team, be open to sharing the reasoning for that decision, so everyone has

the clarification that they need.

Be willing to ask for feedback. Your team will have questions and concerns as the business

continues to move forward in a new way. Giving them the space to express those feelings

and suggest improvements is vital to the communication health of your team.


Create Digital Interactions

Maximize technology that is available to

increase connection and productivity. Use

Video whenever possible and require that

all team members participate in this way. It

can be a bit uncomfortable for some people

on your team at first, but this will enable

everyone to create that sense of a face to face

interaction in a digital format.

Video conferencing will also allow you to continue observing reactions through facial

expressions and other body language clues according to Vanessa Van Edwards, Lead

Investigator at Science of People. Body language can be a little more challenging to

decipher via video conferencing. However, it is still important to try and pick up on the subtle

cues that will tell you whether a team member is engaged, struggling, or maybe checking

out.

Encourage frequent and impromptu communication between team members to help foster

those same casual communications and collaborations that took place in the office. To

make this happen, you will want to make sure you are implementing the right technology

that will make this possible. Consider utilizing interactive technology in meetings and chat

group software. Make sure the entire team is aware of all communication tools that are

available to them and how to use them. The right tools will allow employees to interact more

regularly and spontaneously throughout the day. In other words, utilize technology to help

everyone be more present.


You will also want to make sure you are continuing to reach out to team members on an

individual basis. Check-in regularly and set a schedule of 1 on 1’s. This will allow you to

connect with each person, discuss specifics of their job and address any concerns they have

separate from the group. Consider asking questions like:

Taking the time to understand each team member’s needs will help create a better

connection between you and the individuals on your team.

Be intentional about sharing success stories and providing positive feedback in every

meeting to ensure the entire group is aware of the accomplishments you continue to have.

By celebrating successes, you can keep employees connected to the goals and purpose of

the team. This ensures each member can see how there are adding value and helps foster

the team dynamic.

What is your workspace set up like?

What is your daily routine?

How do you manage distractions at home? Are you struggling with this?

What helps you feel connected to others when you’re working remotely?


Focus on Strategic KPI’s

Ensure that everyone remains clear

on the business objectives and any

modifications that become necessary

in a remote work environment. Discuss

deliverables and tasks involved daily to

keep everyone on the same page and

moving in the same direction, together.

Reviewing information around goals and deliverables consistently will help maintain a

cohesive environment even when the team can’t be together. This also helps you and your

employees clarify what tasks they should be dedicating their time to on any given day.

Virtual disciplinary action can be challenging to do effectively without jeopardizing the

team member’s productivity and feelings about work. Addressing issues must be done more

carefully when you are not in the same physical space. Strive to recognize the efforts of

each team member, coach, and correct behavior that’s not working.

There are bound to be some bumps in the road as you and your team adjust to a new way of

working and interacting. You will experience technology hiccups, deadlines may get missed

and there will be interruptions that you have zero control over. Keep calm, don’t get excited

when things don’t go exactly as planned. When missteps happen, make sure you keep open

lines of communication and get everyone focusing their time and energy back on your

overall goals.


Deploy Tactical Empathy

When transitioning from a traditional

office setup to a remote work environment,

employees may have a lot of concerns. Your

team has no greater need than empathy during

stressful times (Dan Pontefract, Founder &

CEO of The Pontefract Group). Empathy helps

to build trust and provide a feeling of stability

for your team.

Recognize and be sensitive to the fact that a change in routine can create a variety of

different reactions amongst your team. Understanding this will help you to better empathize

with each of your employees.

Making sure to check in with employees regularly to see how they are adjusting is critical.

Asking questions like, “How are you?” and “How can I help you today?” are essential

questions that give employees the space they need to express concerns that they have.

Being an empathetic leader proves that you value your team and have their best interest in

mind.

Employees experience a range of life problems that are less visible to you given their remote

status. There may be days that they are edgy and challenging to deal with. Addressing those

behaviors and situations may require you to dig deep when it comes to patience. Don’t

react, but instead ask more questions and get clarification.

Empathy will be crucial to success for you and your team. You will want to expand this skill in

any way possible and reassure employees that your primary concern is for their overall well-

being before anything else.

You and your team are in a significant period of adjustment. Each person is attempting to

tackle several different things all at once. Whether you plan to have employees working

remotely on a short term or long-term basis, it’s essential to make sure you choose solutions

that make sense for both scenarios. Navigating all these changes can be stressful but

implementing the right solutions will reduce that stress and help the whole team make it

through this transition together.

T PRACTIC MANAG VIRTU EAMS 1 - TOTAL CSR · Introduction. T PRACTIC MANAG VIRTU EAMS 3 Establish Clear Rules & Boundaries WORK SCHEDULE The idea of working remotely may be a new concept

Documents