8 tips to get the most from your virtual team

The Covid-19 pandemic changed how many work, or where they work. As remote work has become the norm for many, knowing how to effectively manage your virtual teams is key. Today we will look at a few strategies from Ray Blakney in Lifehack.org.

1. Create a virtual water cooler. Impromptu communication is important since your teammates cannot simply walk into your office. Slack is one tool that allows you and your team to communicate quickly with short chats. As a bonus, you’re saving yourself unneeded email messages that add to your inbox volume
2. Establish times for open communication. Your colleagues need time to concentrate on vital projects and other tasks that require deep concentration. To avoid constant interruptions and frustration instead establish a time slot in the morning and another in the afternoon where ad-hoc communication takes place.
   [read more]
   
3. Encourage time-blocking. Being able to structure your workday gives you a certain sense of control and helps instill disciplined habits. 
4. Structure your virtual meetings. Always have a clear agenda for scheduled meetings. This helps ensure focus on priorities and shows respect for other’s time.
5. Schedule recurring meetings. Try adding two types of recurring meetings for your team. First, are roundtable meetings where the range of topics is determined by the participants. The second are structured meetings with a reestablished agenda.
6. Be mindful of time zones. If you working on the east coast scheduling a 9:00 am meeting for west coast employees may pose a hardship. Be mindful of where your employees are working
7. Measure and recalibrate. Make adjustments to your virtual team structure as needed. Learn from what doesn’t work and don’t be afraid to try new methods of communication
8. Hire self-motivated individuals. Remote work isn’t for everyone. Your virtual team members will need to be self-starters who can manage their time while juggling multiple tasks. 

[/read]