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Telecommuting is becoming the new norm and there is a lot of upside to working remotely for you and your team, however there are still some challenges some people face in a virtual environment.

In most virtual workplaces, entire teams are separated from their project manager, which can lead to feelings of disconnection and isolation. The most important thing to do is maintain regular, consistent communication with each other.

I started working with Function1 two years ago and have learned a lot about managing and working with virtual teams effectively and hope my tips below can help other project managers realize the potential and positive outputs this can have for a business.

1.) Create a daily status check/stand up

Set up a system where at the beginning of each day, you are able to collect the following information from each person on the project:

• What did you work on yesterday?
• What do you have planned to work on tomorrow?
• What roadblocks/issues do you have?
• What do you need in order to get the roadblocks/issues resolved?

A project manager can do this with a daily call, email or use the company’s main communication tool (ex: Skype or Slack).   This will also help:

• Create transparency amongst the team so everyone knows the tasks being worked on.
• Allows the project manager to ensure the team fully understands their what is expected of them.
• Document the information so it can be used for weekly client status reports.
• Provides accountability for each team member.
• Trigger technical discussions within the team.

2.) Understand time zones.

One can be on the East Coast, and all the other project team members are scattered across the U.S or half way across the globe.  A project manager should be respectful of the team’s hours and schedule meetings that are convenient for everyone.

3.) Be flexible.

I am a true believer that people may not be more productive because they are chained to their desk or working in an office. Employees are productive because they want to be and appreciate the work they are doing for a company that provides them with some perks. Everyone needs flexibility with his/her hours. Building in some flexibility by allowing for appointments, and other life events, makes for a happier work place. This really helps build trust within the team and can boost employee morale.

4.) Institute an “Open-Door” Policy

In some ways, managing a virtual team is not very different from managing an in-office team. Taking advantage of technology and remembering to stay connected (on both a professional and personal level) will ensure that the team is productive, dedicated, and motivated.  Establishing an “open-door” policy with the project team will help them feel comfortable when talking about work-related issues or even personal problems. A project manager can achieve this by being easily accessible, friendly, and professional during all interactions with the team. Without a break room to huddle in, it isn’t always easy to talk to your employees about how they are doing or what they have planned for the weekend. 

5.) Recognize and celebrate their efforts publically

I can’t stress the importance of making an effort to regularly recognize their contribution either with the entire project team or the company. This helps them feel like their efforts are acknowledged and valued – and that they’re part of a team even though they aren’t sitting in the same office. It could be as simple as telling them they knocked a presentation out of the park, or thanking them for working together to resolve a project issue. One can even send out a company wide announcement when a project completes successfully or when a client provides positive feedback about the team’s accomplishments.  It’s a great way to know what other teams are doing for its customers and can also motivate others to work harder.

6.) Don’t shy away from technology

It’s very important to get everyone on the same page to avoid misunderstandings. Using tools to help the team collaborate and track projects (ex: Asana, Google docs, Box, Slack, Skype, Lync) help immensely in managing multiple clients, projects, teams, deliverables and deadlines. At Function1 we use Slack to communicate with one another and it really makes me feel connected.  We divide up group channels by projects, teams, practices, etc. and can have access to any team member during business hours.  We are always collaborating in real time and communication feels more natural. This prevents us from having 10 meetings a day and we can even make calls within the tool.  

I highly suggest having a project management tool and an easy method to share project documentation amongst the team. A project management tool will help the team know what's been completed, and by whom, and what still needs to be done. Start dates and expected completion dates alerts employees to upcoming deadlines, allowing them to manage their time appropriately to complete tasks. The benefit is that each team member (including the project manager) can be kept up to date, quickly dealing with issues as they arise.

Document sharing tools allow individuals to edit (or multiple individuals can edit at once depending on the tool), update draft status of reports and create systems that allow for transparency and communication.  It also acts as a workspace in case a team member wants to upload any notes taken during meetings, pictures of diagrams sketched on a napkin or even pictures of a whiteboard from a discovery session.  That way everything is saved in the tool and not on one’s desktop and it’s easily accessible by everyone.

7.) Celebrate

We all can’t sit together and eat cake, but it’s nice to wish someone happy birthday or congratulate them on getting married, expanding their family, getting their master degree, or even when a company wins a big contract, etc. These little things can really help someone who is working remotely feel they are part of a team.  It also just makes the work environment more fun.

Any of the items mentioned above are things one can do to create a feeling that an individual is part of a team and a team is truly part of the company. 

Interested in learning additional tips for managing your remote team? Check out Time Doctor's 21 Must-Know Strategies for Managing Virtual Teams.