6 Untold Characteristics of Successful Virtual Teams

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What are the characteristics of successful virtual teams in today’s business, virtual teams are becoming the standard? According to RW3 Technologies’ findings from a recent assessment of virtual teams, corporate teams are now nearly totally virtual. This article will feature characteristics of successful virtual teams.

In 2012, they found that more than half of respondents indicated their teams included individuals from different countries. In 2014, that figure increased to 41%, and then to 48% in 2016.

The trend of teams becoming more multinational is undeniable. Because in-person meetings are too expensive, virtual teams are a foregone conclusion in the business sector. The fact that just 22% of respondents had engaged in virtual team training is perhaps the most concerning figure revealed in their findings.

Characteristics of successful virtual teams

Though virtual teams are common, it appears that few people are given the skills and training they need to succeed in this setting. I’ve offered three recommendations for forming the most effective virtual team, which are an excellent place to start when laying the groundwork for a successful virtual team. Here are 6 characteristics of successful virtual teams:

1. The Size of Your Virtual Team Is Important

For starters, a virtual team of fewer than ten people is ideal. The optimum team size is four to five persons, as it is simpler to maintain an adequate degree of communication among group members at this size.

Because relatively modest coordination and communication difficulties develop exponentially as a virtual team expands, small is preferable, underlining that when team members are kept out of the information loop, confidence within the group is destroyed.

Managers are frequently inclined to expand the group beyond what is required, feeling that having a wider breadth of skills is beneficial. However, he has found that keeping the core team small and relying on advisory groups for feedback on an as-needed basis is more likely to succeed.

2. Team Members’ Personality Is Important

It may seem obvious, but make sure your team members desire to participate in a virtual work experience. They should be aware of and appreciate the benefits of working remotely, and they should be able to work independently with minimum supervision.

The greatest virtual team members are self-motivated and comfortable working without the framework of a daily routine – without the frequent direction and supervision that comes with working in a typical office setting.

3. In the selection process, understand and test for soft skills.

To be a great performance on a virtual team, an employee must be skilled in a variety of soft skills. Someone who works from home and has a poor degree of honesty, for example, maybe rationalizing shorter work hours to attend to a personal agenda.

Someone who is extroverted may do better in an office setting where they can see and speak with people face to face. Whatever the case, a virtual team will be far more productive if these attributes and personality traits are evaluated throughout the hiring process. Online recruiting exams, role plays, interview questions, and simulations may all be used to assess them.

After these characteristics have been assessed, recruiting managers and other stakeholders may develop a strategic plan for assembling the best virtual team.

4. It is critical to communicate

Traditional employees have frequent face-to-face meetings and interactions, while virtual teams do not. That is why good communication is so crucial.

Members must be able to communicate themselves clearly, often, and wisely, whether through email or team collaboration tools. Respecting different cultures, work patterns, and business philosophies is essential, as is appreciating the importance of individual and group project contributions.

5. Collaborate in the Correct Manner

With the advancement of technology, virtual cooperation is evolving at a rapid pace. If your virtual team is still exchanging files and interacting only via email, I have some good news for you: there is an alternative. SharePoint, Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox, and other online storage and collaboration services are used by many businesses.

Employees who understand what they are and believe they are utilizing them successfully will be trained to utilize them more efficiently and effectively, resulting in the most efficient virtual team.

6. Teamwork Rules in Virtual Team Environments

According to writers Frank Siebdrat, Martin Hoegl, and Holger Ernst, it’s all about collaboration. Good cooperation is listed as one of the main criteria in their article, “How to Manage Virtual Teams.”

Members of a virtual team must have a high degree of teamwork-related abilities, according to them. So, if you have a loner in your group, you could wish to separate them and assign them to a separate project. Otherwise, the virtual team will not function as well as it should, and discord will reign supreme.

When forming virtual teams, what talents should managers regard as important teamwork attributes? According to OnPoint Consulting, here’s a comprehensive checklist of what makes a successful virtual team member.

A valuable member of a virtual team is:

demonstrates a high amount of motivation
Is an excellent communicator who works well with others
Is motivated by goals and objectives and thrives in an unstructured atmosphere
Works independently and with a high level of self-discipline.
Is a whiz with technology and knows how to properly manage his or her time
Quickly solves problems
Takes full responsibility for his or her work (not a blamer)

We hope you have enjoyed this article on the characteristics of successful virtual teams!