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.
In this article, we examine the nine most common challenges of virtual teams, what causes these challenges to arise, and what you can do to solve them.
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9 common challenges of virtual teams and how to solve them
Virtual teams typically don’t share a workspace, which can lead to challenges arising from the lack of a shared timeframe and environment. The following are nine of the most common challenges that virtual teams face, along with their causes and suggestions for resolving them:
1. Communication
Some supervisors may find that remote work is less productive because of inefficiencies in communication. This problem often relates to two factors. One is availability, as individual team members have some autonomy over when to start their workday. The other is differences in communication styles. Some team members may want frequent, active correspondence, while others may prefer sparse interaction.
As a proactive manager, you can improve communication by setting an example and clearly stating your expectations. Ask all team members to make themselves available online during a particular window of time, and implement a web-based messaging stool that allows everyone to chat in real-time, Also, specify the level of correspondence you’d like everyone to aim for and encourage team members to reach out to you as often as possible. To systematize your communicative efforts, consider offering opportunities for interaction with regular video conferences.
2. Collaboration
Collaboration is critical to successful remote work, as it helps to generate new ideas and facilitate discussion. Virtual team members may struggle with collaboration because their physical separation causes them to feel disconnected from one another, and communication barriers can compound this issue.
There are several actions you can take to overcome such obstacles. Start early by establishing a welcoming environment for your team. For example, when you bring on new members, try compiling an onboarding package that includes friendly messages from the team. A simple gesture of welcome can help individuals feel engaged with their colleagues. Also, in your regular meetings, facilitate interaction with brainstorming sessions concerning problems the team is facing. Mediate in case of disagreements, but allow team members to engage with one another as much as possible
3. Office culture
Office culture refers to the aggregate of attitudes and beliefs characteristic of a particular workplace. The norms that compose the culture inform how its members interact with one another, approach situations, and engage with the organization. The realities of a shared environment and the regular in-person interactions that take place in it help to form the basis of a culture, so the absence of that environment can make it difficult to establish a cultural identity among your team members.
Routines can be an effective way to establish a viable culture for your virtual “office.” Using messaging or conferencing software, hold regular mini-events that give your employees something to look forward to and allow them to express themselves. Consider, for example, a weekly icebreaker question that promotes familiarity between team members, or a monthly trivia game that involves a tangible prize. Employees can regard simple occasions such as these as hallmarks that help define their experience with the organization.
4. Professional Boundaries
Professional boundaries are rules that individuals set to limit the overlap of their personal and work lives. They’re essential for maintaining an optimal work-life balance and avoiding burnout. Virtual team members might struggle to create boundaries because their workspace is usually also their living space, so their professional duties may encroach on their home life.
What you can do to foster the development and enforcement of boundaries is to set realistic goals and achievable deadlines for your team. The less your team struggles to complete their tasks, the more capable they are of accomplishing their objectives within standard work hours.
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5. Breaks
A challenge related to boundaries is the matter of breaks. Taking regular breaks throughout the workday can help to improve concentration, boost productivity, and prevent exhaustion. The problem is that remote workers often neglect to take breaks. The reasons for this phenomenon are various. Some individuals feel guilty about indulging in rest periods in their homes, which they already associate with a sense of ease. Others may have trouble managing their time on their own, so they forgo breaks and even lunch hours to catch up on assignments.
You can encourage your team to take breaks in numerous ways. One is to have regular one-on-ones in which you devote part of the time to counseling your juniors on the importance of self-care. If they feel that you encourage a healthy work-life balance, they’re more likely to take steps to achieve it. Another idea is to promote fun team challenges. For example, ask your team to participate in a timed walking challenge in which everyone walks a mile around their neighborhood at the same time. This forces them to take a break while also contributing to your work culture.
6. 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 remote workers’ 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 be for email correspondence, while the second half of the day is for marketing product creation.
7. 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.
8. Distractions
An office is a largely self-regulating environment, as the presence of teammates and managers can help employees to focus on their work. At home, these regulating forces are absent, and distractions take their place. Thus, for some team members, it may be easy to become sidetracked by activities unrelated to the job.
To keep distractions to a minimum and maintain efficiency in your team’s performance, set guidelines during one-on-one and whole-team meetings. During these meetings, convey clear expectations regarding team members’ daily tasks, and discuss milestones to help them keep on track. Also, consider offering training sessions about strategies for overcoming distractions. The training may have the added benefit of improving employees’ engagement, as it promotes a sense of investment in their growth.
9. Office supplies
In-office teams have access to a large variety of office supplies provided by the employer — furniture, technology, writing implements, organizers, and various other resources. Virtual teams often lack such access. As a result, they may struggle because they lack the tools to complete their tasks or feel disheartened about using their money to outfit their workspace.
To foster growth in a remote office, ensure there’s enough money in the budget to provide your team with the resources they want and require. Consider giving stipends to help employees set up their home offices. If possible, offer to provide every team member with a computer as well.
I hope you find this article helpful.
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