Common Challenges (and Solutions) in Virtual Team Management

Everyone can succeed if you can establish a structure that supports the entire team, regardless of their location. There are numerous advantages and disadvantages to using virtual teams; and today, we’ll focus on some of the top virtual team challenges.

 

Common Virtual Team Challenges and Solutions

Differences in Communication Style

Effective communication is one of the most challenging aspects of virtual teams. When it comes to communication, everyone has different preferences. Some people prefer to be contacted by email, while others prefer instant chatting.

You must properly manage your virtual team’s communication style and provide a structure that encourages collaboration.

It’s a good idea to have fixed business hours when teammates must be available online. This means that digital nomads can choose to live in Bali as long as they are online for part of the day.

Make certain that your employees understand the desired degree of communication. When someone encounters a difficulty, welcome participation and brainstorming in the same way that you would with a physical team, demonstrating the value of teamwork.

Solution: Communication

Any productive workplace, whether it be physical or virtual, struggles with communication. A capable manager is needed to bring the team together and make them productive when working virtually.

 

Lack of Structure

A lack of specified structure, like a lack of communication, can cause issues with virtual teams. To be as efficient as possible, ensure that you are always analysing your processes and procedures. A workflow analysis can help you understand how your process operates better.

Solution: Have a Defined Workflow

It is critical to have well-defined standards as well as an online workflow that supports your process. There are numerous online technologies that make it simple for teammates all across the world to collaborate. 

There is no single solution that will work for every virtual team, but many have found that having a central center for information is beneficial.

 

Not Having the Right Tools

With everyone working from one location, it can be challenging to overlook glaring technological gaps. When your teammates have access to the best tools, they will succeed.

Even if you never see someone using these tools because of location, keep things up to date. 

Some business owners include a loan provision for technology in employee contracts. These workers will receive their own work equipment supplied to them after a brief trial period.

Solution: Invest in the Right Tools

Investing in the correct equipment will improve your company’s capacity to provide excellent services. As a result, make sure you have a plan in place to maintain all employees’ technology and keep it up to date.

 

Distrust

Something intriguing happens when you spend money but never see where it goes. You grow suspicious.

A coworker may observe that one individual never responds promptly and they might begin to believe that they are working more than others. Suddenly, a valuable team member becomes reclusive and defensive.

One of the most important issues for digital teams is distrust. Make certain that your task management tools are clear. You will be able to examine set data on how much work each employee completes each week.

Solution: Encourage Openness About Workload

The more information there is about how much work each staff member is doing, the better. When a simple misunderstanding grows into something more serious, distrust and dissatisfaction arises.

 

Distracting Environments

Everyone enjoys working from home or the beach, but it is easy to have too much fun while working remotely.

Distracting settings are a common issue for virtual teams. Every distraction reduces the efficiency of normally high-performing employees.

Solution: Establish Standards and Procedures

To successfully manage this issue, you should establish standards and rules for each employee. You should make it obvious in a one-on-one meeting that work hours and quality must be taken as seriously as they are in traditional offices.

 

Slow Response Times

Slow response times are a prevalent issue while leading virtual teams. Each team member should join the team with the awareness that their flexible work environment does have some structure. Delays and other setbacks can be avoided in the future this way.

All teams must adhere to strict deadlines and timetables. If timezone variations are slowing development, some structure must be put in place to support everyone.

Solution: Maintain As Regular Business Hours as Your Can

If you want to keep your workflows as efficient as possible, you must keep semi-regular business hours. This means that at some point during the day, everyone must be online and available to talk; this will boost staff productivity and communication.

 

Lack of Office Culture

Lack of office culture can be a tricky obstacle for virtual teams. When you don’t have an office, it’s difficult to build workplace culture. Colleagues may go days without “speaking” to each other, and they are unlikely to meet in person.

Solution: Establish a Robust Office Culture

Regardless, it is critical to establish an office culture. Creating company and department instant message groups can aid in the development of an ongoing discourse. Swap memes, tell weekend anecdotes, and inquire about your team’s interests whenever feasible. Bonding opportunities should be emphasized in order to foster a positive office culture for virtual teams.

 

When managing virtual teams for the first time, there are several possible issues that can come up. However, many of these difficulties faced by virtual teams can be readily resolved.

The key to managing a remote workforce is constant communication. Make sure your employees is aware of what is expected of them, and find out from them what is expected of you. Know what they expect from the job and any needs they may have.

These virtual team challenges can be easy to manage, if you are prepared.