Face it, working virtually may be convenient, but it provides a new set of challenges many businesses aren’t familiar with. As a manager or owner, you can feel like your goals are up in the air, and it can be hard to know if a particular employee is being productive. But with some discipline, you can find ways to work better in teams—no matter where you are.
Set Clear Goals and Processes
Sometimes, new or confused employees/contractors just don’t know what is expected of them. This is why you need to set specific, overarching goals for your own team. You should also ask that each person create their own personal goals that will motivate them to excel in their career.
Once you have established goals, you need to set processes that each person will do to make things organized and efficient. For example, if you are in charge of a content creation department, there should be a clear pathway to publication for each piece of work. Start with assignments, move to editing, stamp approval, and then hit publish. No matter your work, your processes should be easy to understand so nobody is conflicted.
Stay Organized
Now that you have goals and processes lined up, it is time for you to keep everything organized. Team management software has a lot of features that can help you stay on top of projects and aware of what is going on. For instance, Slack can allow your employees to see what other people are working on. This makes for easy collaboration.
Using a database like Google can help you keep things organized and understand what every person has been working on. Have a place people can record their progress, and keep it up-to-date. This can give you a better sense of control.
Frequent Meetings
Lastly, you need to keep your employees, contractors (and yourself) accountable. Holding weekly update meetings can give everyone an idea of what they have been working on. Additionally, it can be a great motivator for the team to check their progress and get things accomplished.
Make sure that these meetings have purpose and are effective. Otherwise, your employees may not see the point and may feel that they waste time. Have some sort of itinerary so people know how long it will go.
Despite being digital, you and your team can get so much done. Much of this success will be up to you. Establish procedures that suit your business, stay organized, and talk with your team regularly. These are the keys to success in a virtual workplace.
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