Rubberdesk's 5 Tips to Managing a Virtual Coworking Team

As the current pandemic has accelerated the work-from-home movement, team members are now working remotely and are learning to adjust to a new way of life and work. Whilst it may seem like a huge change for most, working remotely isn't a new concept.

More and more small businesses have been embracing the potential of a virtual team, as they not only reduce the overhead costs associated with a traditional office but also give you access to the best talent unrestricted by geographical location.

For many, working remotely means added flexibility with reports of greater efficiency and reduced stress. However, new challenges often arise due to the difficulties in creating a corporate culture remotely.

1. Utilise communication tools

Virtual leaders shouldn't micromanage - rather they should check in with members casually and on a regular basis. Utilising technology tools such as Google Hangouts, Slack, and Zoom enable managers to connect with team members quickly and easily to check in on progress.

The Rubberdesk team is always connected through Slack and organises virtual weekly meetings via Zoom to check in with our team and discuss the events of the past week and future plans.

Slack allows organisations to set up virtual chat rooms for the workplace. Additionally, these programs also allow companies to set up dedicated channels for different projects and departments, making it quick and easy for team members to communicate.

2. Reinforce company values

Sharing your company values with your physical and virtual team, it highlights what's important when it comes to their day-to-day tasks. This is extremely valuable as it means your team can make their own decisions that align with the core company values.

Rubberdesk's values of honesty, integrity, and fairness are the key drivers behind all our team's decision-making

3. Provide ongoing training and support

Providing consistent and effective training to your virtual employees ensures consistency within the organisation. At Rubberdesk, we ensure that all employees take time during their day to learn the new features and test the site themselves to make sure they understand it completely. Providing constant training and support means that our team delivers the best services to our customers.

4. Organise a system of overlapping times for meetings

Timezones can kill communication in a remote team. If members of your team work in different time zones, ask team members when they would prefer to meet then make sure that you have an overlapping period where everyone is working and organise your virtual meetings during these times.

5. Build meaningful relationships

To help build relationships and trust between members, encourage your team to share their feelings and chat informally whenever they can. Having remote workers often feels like the company culture is dismantled, therefore, it is important to establish a way to connect with each other.

Spend some time each week interacting individually with each of your team members, via instant messaging, telephone or videoconference. Be sure to choose the tool that works best for both of you.

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