With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that erupted in 2020 and then with the rise of globalization, the maintenance of virtual teams has become increasingly necessary in today’s world. Virtual teams allow companies to save on office space while also letting them tap into a diverse talent pool by hiring employees from anywhere in the world.
However, with the many benefits that maintaining virtual teams offer come challenges, too.
First things first, remote work can be quite isolating, resulting in a drop in morale and motivation. It can also be quite difficult for remote teams to build trust and establish good relationships with each other, which can affect the team’s overall performance.
Add to that time differences and technology issues, and it’s easy to see why one out of every four companies fails to maintain virtual culture and faces delays in project delivery. The good news is, with the right approach, these challenges can be overcome.
Whether you’re just planning to build a virtual team or looking for tips on how to improve the workflow of an existing team, you can attain the success you seek by following in the footsteps of companies that have nailed virtual culture. Let’s see what these companies are and what they have done to solve the problems most virtual teams encounter.
SAP
SAP is a multinational software corporation with over 30,000 employees in 60 countries that relies heavily on virtual teams. To support and maintain efficient collaboration, the company has implemented several strategies:
- It put its headquarters in several locations, with the biggest ones being placed in Germany, India, Israel, China, and the US;
- It made sure that each of its headquarters had employees with different areas of expertise that could be transferred to the rest of the team if needed;
- With the help of a consulting company, it also created a team-building initiative aimed at developing new skills in employees through various training programs.
With all of that combined, SAP has managed not only to cut costs that would otherwise be spent on providing physical office space for all team members but also to build a functional virtual team trained to the highest standards despite working remotely.
IBM
Time differences are perhaps the biggest challenge most remote companies face, making it difficult to effectively communicate in real time and schedule meetings.
However, IBM proves us wrong. With more than 200,000 employees located around the world, the company has overcome this challenge in an exemplary fashion while creating one of the most functional virtual environments to date.
The secret of success is the effective use of the management strategy known as ROWE. Unlike traditional workplaces where people are paid for hours, ROWE focuses on the work output. This has helped IBM eliminate the need for face-to-face meetings and allowed their employees to work at their natural hours when they are the most productive.
Despite not holding online meetings, the company provides its team with a wide range of virtual communication tools, including instant messaging systems and chat tools, allowing them to collaborate effectively regardless of the time zone.
General Electric
Another company that has managed to build a high-performing remote team from all over the world is General Electric (GE). To maintain an effective work environment and communication within the remote team, the company made training its virtual leaders a priority.
Top managers and executives at GE always improve through interactive e-learning, including:
- Taking quizzes;
- Answering polls;
- Rehearsing their behavior through role-playing scenarios.
As a result, they can adapt quickly to any issues that may arise in the workspace and bridge gaps caused by distance. In addition, they receive special training aimed at understanding cultural differences. Thanks to this, they can build trusting relationships with people from different countries and backgrounds and avoid misunderstandings and conflicts.
Conclusion
These three companies have proven by their own examples that virtual teams can be just as effective as, if not better, those in the office. Best of all, the practices they have developed are not limited to any particular area or field, allowing companies of all sizes to incorporate them into their business concept.
So, if you want to avail yourself of the benefits of maintaining virtual teams and remain competitive in the global marketplace, now is the perfect time to put these practices to use!
