ACI Blog
Looking for fresh ideas for your association? Look no further - our blog is a chance for you to pick our brains virtually, see what’s working for our clients, and identify approaches that you might like to adapt.
Looking for fresh ideas for your association? Look no further - our blog is a chance for you to pick our brains virtually, see what’s working for our clients, and identify approaches that you might like to adapt.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many organizations to bring their workplaces online, instantly transforming office workplace teams into virtual teams.
Virtual teams come with many benefits for organizations, such as flexibility of scheduling and meeting location, openness to hiring new talent regardless of geographic location, fewer barriers to voicing opinions and sharing ideas, savings on real estate costs, and an increased ability by employees to balance work and personal life. Many studies have also shown that when done correctly, virtual teams can prove more productive and efficient than in-person teams, with enhanced employee and operational productivity.
As many organizations consider whether they should return to an in-person office environment or remain mostly online, with many making the choice to transition to a virtual office setting permanently, it’s important to consider the ways in which the efficacy of virtual teams can be maximized. Here are three ways to make virtual teams thrive!
Establish a shared identity
Many people strongly link their identity to their profession, and strong group affiliations promote this positive connection. Employee loyalty, participation, engagement, and outcomes all increase when there exists a strong identity with an employee’s organization and workplace team. This may sometimes seem harder to achieve in a virtual-setting, and managers must actively work to build a strong team identity within the virtual team.
Language such as “we, us, ours” helps to build identification and a sense of belonging amongst team members. When virtual team members feel they belong, they also feel a sense of cohesion which promotes and emphasizes a shared accountability.
In the absence of a shared physical space, it can also be helpful to establish a common virtual meeting space, where employees can easily “come together” for work and non-work-related discussions and socialization.
Bridge Cultural Differences
As virtual teams make it possible to hire team members from anywhere in the world, it is possible that culture differences may arise. Diversity of team members can and should make teams stronger, but as a manager, it is important to understand and bridge cultural differences to fully harness that strength.
Culture can sometimes play an important role in how people approach their work and how they participate in teams. Discussing these ideas, outlooks, and approaches within your teams can ensure that all team members, despite their differences, feel respected, heard, included, and understood. It also allows employees to work with other team members in the most efficient and constructive ways possible.
Sometimes, cultural differences may lead to coordination breakdowns or differing opinions about the structure of work or how the team operates. In these situations, it is important to foster open discussion, listening to all team members, to determine where the break down occurred, how to fix it in a way that works for the entire team, and how to avoid similar situations in the future.
Address Conflict
Conflict is inevitable within any team. In virtual teams, limited face-to-face communication, varying schedules, and different perspectives can all lead to conflict from time-to-time. But conflict and disagreements among virtual team members – when handled correctly – can be productive, sometimes leading to healthy debate that results in innovation and advancements.
As a manager of a virtual team, it is imperative to create a climate of support and open communication, encouraging open dialogue where all team members feel comfortable sharing their diverse and sometimes differing perspectives. A great way to foster an open environment is to be mindful of your reactions when team members propose new ideas or express their opinions. Be sure to engage in active listing and ask non-biased questions about the idea. When a supportive climate exists, conflict is much less likely to evolve out of small disagreements amongst team members.
Virtual workplaces seem be here to stay, at least in some capacity. With these few tips, managers can address and meet the unique challenges of managing virtual teams to build stronger and more collaborative and productive teams, regardless of where they are.