Working with team members virtually is no different than working with a person in your office. Many people fail to realize that procedures, meetings, performance goals, and reviews all need to be in place to make the working relationship a success.
Communication is key in any relationship, business or personal, and working with a virtual team member is no different. Create a clear and concise job description. Discuss expectations, individual goals, and company goals at least every quarter. They are, after all, a member of the company, so treat them as such. Decide what and how to communicate in the beginning so there are no surprises. In short, set yourself, your company, and your team up to win.
Communicating often, but not micromanaging, will help build trust. Be patient when mistakes happen (and they will). Start by delegating small tasks, set goals, communicate your expectations, and wait for the results. Review the results and delegate more. The more responsibility is delegated, the more trust builds and the better the working relationship. Just as with any other employee, the virtual team player could advance into a higher position within the company, taking on great responsibility and significantly contributing to the success of the company.
Decide what software will work best with the tasks that need to be completed. Keep it simple and streamlined. There are many tools available such as Dropbox, Evernote, or Trello (the list is endless), so pick one, maybe two to get started. Don’t forget to document all procedures as you move forward. This will help your team work independently and help you with training.
As with any team player, the more you cultivate and lead your team, virtually or not, the more successful your company will be. Remember the more you set your team up to win, the better chance you have of success. It’s literally a win-win.
