How to thrive in a virtual team

Do you work in a virtual team?

Some of us already work in virtual teams, or have colleagues based remotely. Others are now needing to work virtually for the first time.

Whatever your working arrangement, it's important to build and maintain strong relationships with your colleagues so that you can continue to collaborate, deliver and innovate together as a team.

Some see virtual working as a barrier, but here we'll share some top tips for working together effectively, making genuine connections and getting the most from yourself - and others - in a virtual working environment.

If you want to learn more about how to connect as a team when you don't get to meet face-to-face, read our blog.

How can you connect with your colleagues?

Working as an effective virtual team takes work. The conversations that happen spontaneously in a face-to-face environment - conversations that help you get to know each other on a deeper level and build essential trust - need to be conscious and purposeful.

Even if you enjoy working from home in isolation, some of your colleagues may be struggling with loneliness, and it's still vital that you are coming together regularly to share information, advance projects and make human connections.

Here are some tips for connecting across virtual boundaries:

• Arrange some 'cup of tea calls' which are the virtual equivalent of meeting in the staff kitchen to talk about whatever comes up. This kind of spontaneous, free-flowing conversation is how you move from a strictly professional relationship to a more meaningful connection
• Share your communication dos and don'ts from your Insights Discovery Personal Profile so that, even at a distance, your colleagues know how you prefer to work with them
• Consider your colleagues who have a preference for making connections; are you making yourself available for those moments when they need someone to talk to?
• Be considerate of time zones. If your colleagues work in other countries, are you scheduling calls at a time that everyone in the team can attend?
• If you have the technology, always use video on your calls. It encourages active participation and lets you tap into body language and eye contact to improve your connections

How do you stay productive when working from home?

Set yourself up for success

It's easy to create the space and habits that will keep you focused and motivated when working from home. While some thrive on the peace and quiet, others feel the lack of bustle and social interaction.

Think about some of the positives and negatives of home working that are unique to you and identify what you have control over. If you like collaborating with colleagues, set up some regular connects so you don't start to feel isolated. If you get distracted by chores, find a place where you can close the door on the rest of the house and forget about them till later.

Find your own balance and take these simple steps to renew your focus, feel refreshed and keep your energy high. Don't forget to check your profile for some hints and tips!

The ideal virtual working environment

Our Business Psychologist, Hannah Prince, conducted research around the ideal conditions for virtual teams. It centres around what remote workers need to feel supported, trusted and empowered.

What do you think YOU need to be successful as a virtual team member? How can your team members and manager support you?

Our report will show you some recent findings in this area, and gives managers some useful tips for creating the best working environment for their virtual teams. 

Read our research report to find out more.

"Communication in globally dispersed teams is a human challenge, not a technological one."

Hannah Prince
Insights Business Psychologist

Getting the most from your virtual calls

When working remotely, Skype (or another similar tool) can be your magic mirror. There are a lot of collaboration tools you can use for working on projects as a team, but virtual conference tools allow instant, personal connections that make you feel less isolated when you're sitting in your home office.

Here are our top tips for getting the most from your technology:

• Use video as often as you can. It can be tempting to hide behind a photo and not turn your camera on, but there is untold value in seeing your colleagues, making eye contact and reading their body language. It also stops people from working during the call (which we've all been guilty of!)
• Make some time at the start of the call to talk about non-work related things. When you only connect to talk about business, you're not really taking time to get to know each other as people, which is important for building trust. At Insights we always have a five minute check-in, where we ask a fun, creative question to start the call on a positive vibe
• If only some colleagues are virtual, and others have dialled them into an office-based meeting, always let the virtual colleagues speak first. It can be hard to speak up and make your voice heard once the conversation in the room is flowing
• Use Instant Messaging wisely. Sometimes you need to speak to someone and IM comes closest to simulating the 'water cooler chat' of the office environment. But remember to think about the preferences of others in your team - will they be happy to be interrupted? 

Leading a virtual team during a time of uncertainty

In our latest blog we talk about how leading through sudden change is one of the most difficult things you can do as a leader. Some of your team members may be working virtually for the very first time; how do you support them, communicate with them, and build mutual trust in these new circumstances?

Read our full blog here.