Virtual teams

Many people have experienced working remotely or virtually in 2020.

Although they have experienced one version of it, it does not represent virtual teams in normal times.

In a normal virtual team, the members can work anywhere, not just from home while the kids are home schooling and you can't go anywhere else.

True virtual working is a very different experience.

As suggested by the name, the virtual or remote team is a group of people who collaborate and work using electronic communications and be in any location. This opens up so many possibilities for leaders as they are not constrained by geographical locations when hiring the best people. You reduce costs in terms of office space, parking, commuting time wasting and increase empowerment, flexibility and efficiency (if led well). 

What many people didn't like about lockdown homeworking was the lack of social contact and connection. That is not surprising since we couldn't leave our houses. However, in "normal" times, people can still find their social connection in their preferred way, with friends, family and people in their sports teams or hobby clubs. However, the need to connect with team members and feel a sense of belonging never goes away.

Since you are not meeting your team face-to-face, trust, connection and good communication are crucial to ensure the success of your team. We all realise the benefit of using technology to ensure the survival of their businesses and to keep people collaborating. We have seen people at home, met their family members and have seen a more human face of our colleagues. No wonder these virtual teams have become extremely popular! However, there are some considerations to take into account before you decide if this is the right team for you. 

Virtual teams have become more common in 2020, but they are already established in many industries and look to continue.

Benefits of virtual teams:

  • Virtual teams are more cost-efficient since you will cut the expenses that come with an office team. A virtual team can work from anywhere and, therefore, you won't spend on office rent and maintenance, utilities or office equipment. Since most virtual teams work from their home offices, they’re responsible for most of these costs. However, investing in the software that enables your team to work efficiently is a must, but not necessarily a fortune. 

  • A great advantage of the virtual teams is the wide talent pool as you are not limited by the location anymore. People from all over the world could be part of your team, and you could even have access to high-quality talent and pay lower salaries at the same time, depending on the location of your employees. 

  • Hiring people from all over the world means working across different time zones and, therefore, this represents a constant availability for your company.  Just imagine that your people could work on your project at a different time of day, ensuring 24/7 availability without overtime or overwork.

  • Virtual teams are potentially more productive since the employees are more satisfied. They save the commuting time, use the extra time to take care of their well-being and work whenever they are feeling more productive. Employee satisfaction could definitely lead to more productivity and, thus, excellent results.  

Challenges of virtual teams:

  • Investing in great software is definitely the right thing to do, but this will not replace the benefits of face-to-face interaction. If the mode of communication between youself and your team is text or email, it sometimes lacks the accuracy and clarity of face-to-face conversation and this might lead to poor communication or misinterpreted messages.  

  • Unfortunately, miscommunication does not only damage the work relationships, but it might also lead to poor delegation of tasks. This confusion might interfere with the team’s responsibilities which could create tension between team members, as well as lack of productivity. 

  • Since your team is so diverse, there might be differences in cultures and work ethics and, therefore, the same situation could be approached completely differently by the team members. Some may be too involved, others too relaxed. But when members in a team feel that they are putting in more effort than others, this can disturb the dynamics of your team and jeopardise your project. 

How to lead a virtual team:

Watch the video for great advice on leading virtual teams.


When you are dealing with virtual teams, you might be overconcerned with communication. However, as a leader, you should avoid controlling your virtual teams, knowing when to trust your employees. You should create a balance between the need to set clear expectations and trust that your team is capable of meeting them. Make sure you take the time to build healthy relationships with and between the team members, and always communicate clearly and consistently to increase that trust that leads to engagement. There are so many online tools that you could utilise to provide a structured approach, praise achievement and provide constructive feedback. Remember to celebrate success and create the social connection which is a vital part of a cohesive team. 

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