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Virtual teams seem to be the way of life these days. Even though COVID conditions are improving, many businesses are still not calling employees back to the office, at least not full tie. Instead, they’re looking for ways to improve how they manage their virtual teams and perfect the process of working remotely.  

Whether your internal employees are working from home or you’re shifting to include freelancers and VAs as part of your team, these are the areas that will need the most attention: 

Defining Clear Objectives 

Part of the challenge of going to a remote work format is setting the right expectations. For example, do you expect employees to attend every virtual meeting? Should be available at all times during specific hours? How long should it take to respond to an email or Slack message? 

There are lots of objectives that need to be defined, and doing so should be a top priority. When you can outline your expectations, you have a clear way to hold your people accountable and take the guesswork out of working remotely. 

Gauging Productivity and Progress 

Many remote workers report being more productive at home than they are in the office. When workers refer to productivity, they’re usually referring to the daily tasks that make up part of their job. These are the tasks they perform independently and require no help from others.  

However, there’s another side of the productivity conversation that isn’t as heavily discussed or acknowledged. This definition of productivity doesn’t account for the unplanned collaboration and inspiration that comes with face-to-face interaction. This is where ideas are shared and conversations are started. This is where real progress happens that ultimately moves the company forward instead of humming away with daily operations. 

That’s why measuring productivity alone isn’t enough to see what’s being accomplished. Rather, it’s important to also see how tasks are contributing to company growth. You can achieve this visibility by setting clear benchmarks for teams and individuals, set standards for performance, and help workers set their own goals. 

Sending and Receiving Feedback 

Without the advantage of face-to-face feedback, it’s important to make communication a proactive gesture instead of being treated like an afterthought. In other words, don’t wait for team members to raise their hands if they have questions or concerns. Be proactive in reaching out, checking in, and being available to help. 

Tracking Time Worked 

Many remote work companies feel that it’s more important to get results than to have seat warmers, which means they focus less on time worked and more on performance. However, tracking time can still be valuable so you can gauge how much time has been spent on certain initiatives or tasks. Using time tracking data, you can better predict when you may need to scale your workforce to achieve greater goals. 

Simplify Your Virtual Team Management 

Once you have your virtual team management processes in order, it’s time to start scaling your team. Discover how Thankz connects you to top-rated virtual workers for tangible success!