{"id":614,"date":"2020-04-14T12:51:07","date_gmt":"2020-04-14T02:51:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.herrmann.com.au\/blog\/?p=614"},"modified":"2023-07-20T16:52:25","modified_gmt":"2023-07-20T06:52:25","slug":"build-trust-virtual-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/blog\/2020\/04\/build-trust-virtual-team\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Build Trust in a Virtual Team"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; admin_label=&#8221;section&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; da_is_popup=&#8221;off&#8221; da_exit_intent=&#8221;off&#8221; da_has_close=&#8221;on&#8221; da_alt_close=&#8221;off&#8221; da_dark_close=&#8221;off&#8221; da_not_modal=&#8221;on&#8221; da_is_singular=&#8221;off&#8221; da_with_loader=&#8221;off&#8221; da_has_shadow=&#8221;on&#8221; da_disable_devices=&#8221;off|off|off&#8221;][et_pb_row admin_label=&#8221;row&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Text&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.10.3&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221; sticky_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;]A little over a decade ago, the remote workforce was dominated by people in outside sales roles. They came into the office on occasion for meetings or, if they were local, to load up on marketing brochures and office supplies. But for the most part, they were out of sight.\n\nThey certainly weren\u2019t out of mind.\n\nI can still distinctly remember the comments around the office: \u201cAre they really working? He probably spends half the day watching TV and running errands\u201d. \u201cShe\u2019s never there when I call\u2014who knows what she does all day\u201d. How things have changed.\n<h2>Why Virtual Teams and Why Now?<\/h2>\nOf course, in light of recent events, today\u2019s virtual workforce is no longer limited to sales roles. But even before the global COVID-19 pandemic, research from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iwgplc.com\/global-workspace-survey-2019\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">International Workplace Group<\/a> revealed that nearly 50% of Australian employees work remotely for at least half of the week and two-thirds for at least one day. Fast forward to today and given the rapid transition to the majority working from home indefinitely, millions will be collaborating virtually for the first time.\u00a0\n\nWorking remotely has a number of strategic and financial benefits, but just because more employees and teams are working virtually, it doesn\u2019t mean we\u2019ve solved those age-old trust issues. In fact, with the rise of virtual teams, we\u2019ve seen new challenges, from miscommunications and conflict to questions about accountability to a feeling of disconnect and detachment from each other and the team\u2019s common purpose.\n\nThe news isn\u2019t all bad. When the conditions are right, virtual teams can be<a href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.cisco.com\/press-release-content?articleId=5000107\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> more productive<\/a> and<a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2012\/08\/are-you-taking-your-people-for\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">more engaged<\/a>than those who work together in the same office every day. The key is to make sure you have those right conditions in place.\n<h2>4 Steps to Building Trust in a Virtual Team<\/h2>\n<h3>1. Start with Clarity:<\/h3>\nClarity keeps suspicion, anxiety and confusion at bay, no matter what the team\u2019s circumstances are, but it\u2019s even more important when working with virtual teams. Without regular face-to-face interaction, people can quickly lose sight of what you\u2019re trying to accomplish and how each role fits into it.\n<ul>\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Clearly and regularly articulate the team\u2019s purpose, goals and priorities.<\/li>\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Define roles and responsibilities and how each person contributes to the team\u2019s value and output.<\/li>\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Take advantage of real-time tools and technology to keep everyone up to speed and on the same page.<\/li>\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">When in doubt, be transparent. The more people know, the less they\u2019ll \u201cfill in the blanks\u201d with assumptions and gossip.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>2. Be a Stickler for Process:<\/h3>\nWith good planning, your virtual teamwork engine will be humming along smoothly. Without it, productivity and projects can quickly derail. The processes that make the most sense for your team will depend on your team\u2019s purpose and structure, but here are a few general steps you can take that will help your team stay on track:\n<ul>\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Develop some non-negotiable rules and step-by-step procedures that all team members will be held accountable to.<\/li>\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Build commitment by detailing out individual expectations and being explicit about deadlines and responsibilities.<\/li>\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Use resources like shared calendars, docs, online filing systems, and project management and collaboration tools to ensure consistency and avoid \u201cversion control\u201d problems.<\/li>\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Reassess and realign as necessary based on progress and results.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>3. Don\u2019t Forget the People:<\/h3>\nTechnology has a way of taking over the conversation about virtual teaming, but people are still the most important factor in any team\u2019s success. When in-person interaction is rare, everyone needs to pay even more attention to building that team spirit.\n<ul>\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Develop team members\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.herrmann.com.au\/blog\/2019\/11\/four-different-communication-styles-communicate-effectively-work-using-whole-brain-thinking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">communication skills<\/a>. Emails, texts, chats and even voicemails are easy to misinterpret, leading to confusion or, worse, conflict. All team members need to be able to deliver efficient, effective communications, regardless of the medium or audience.<\/li>\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Regularly recognise and reward successes, and find opportunities for a few high-touch, team-building experiences throughout the year.<\/li>\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Implement channels for gathering and providing feedback so that people feel connected, involved and heard.<\/li>\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Empower people with the information and skills to recognise <a href=\"https:\/\/www.herrmann.com.au\/blog\/2019\/09\/agile-thinking-how-to-shift-your-thinking-style-to-achieve-any-workplace-goal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">their own and others\u2019 diversity of thought<\/a>, how they balance and support each other, and how they can work together most effectively to get results.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>4. Build in Flexibility and Open the Avenues for New Ideas:<\/h3>\nMany virtual employees feel more engaged and productive because a remote setup gives them more flexibility over how the work gets done and a greater work\/life balance. Once you have a shared framework and agreed-upon \u201crules of operation\u201d in place to ensure milestones and accountabilities are met, you can build flexibility and freedom into the process to keep people motivated and inspired.\n<ul>\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Allow people as much freedom as possible to dictate how they get their work done. This requires a cultural expectation that, as long as the work is being done on time as required and others are involved in appropriate ways, all team members can work in the ways that are most productive for them.<\/li>\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Encourage and empower the team to create its own future by tapping into its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.herrmann.com.au\/blog\/2019\/04\/diversity-of-thought-is-critical-to-business-success\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">diversity of thought<\/a>, perspective and ideas.<\/li>\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Provide collaboration tools for idea sharing, brainstorming and problem-solving.<\/li>\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\">Get creative and have fun with it! At Herrmann, we have <a href=\"https:\/\/slack.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Slack<\/a> channels for inspiration, pets, geeking out and other \u201crandom thoughts.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nFinally, if you\u2019re leading a virtual team, remember: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1138144216000048\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">your role is pivotal<\/a>. It\u2019s up to you to establish a culture of trust and engage each team member in a way that allows them to shine, collaborate productively with others and bring their best thinking to work\u2014even if \u201cto work\u201d means the short walk from the bedroom to the study.\n\n<strong>When you&#8217;re running a virtual team, time together is even more precious. Make the most of meeting time with the <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.herrmannsolutions.asia\/Meetings-that-Work-Toolkit-Download\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Meetings That Actually Work<\/a> interactive toolkit!<\/strong>\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/engage.herrmannsolutions.asia\/Meetings-that-Work-Toolkit-Download\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-616 size-full lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/image1-1.png\" alt=\"Click here to dowload the Meetings That Actually Work interactive toolkit.\" width=\"750\" height=\"313\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/image1-1.png 750w, https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/image1-1-480x200.png 480w\" data-sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 750px, 100vw\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 750px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 750\/313;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-616 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/image1-1.png\" alt=\"Click here to dowload the Meetings That Actually Work interactive toolkit.\" width=\"750\" height=\"313\" srcset=\"https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/image1-1.png 750w, https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/image1-1-480x200.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 750px, 100vw\" \/><\/noscript><\/a>\n\n<em>This article was originally published on our US site. It has been updated and republished here to ensure our readers don\u2019t miss out on valuable information.<\/em>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A little over a decade ago, the remote workforce was dominated by people in outside sales roles. They came into the office on occasion for meetings or, if they were local, to load up on marketing brochures and office supplies. But for the most part, they were out of sight. They certainly weren\u2019t out of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":615,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A little over a decade ago, the remote workforce was dominated by people in outside sales roles. They came into the office on occasion for meetings or, if they were local, to load up on marketing brochures and office supplies. But for the most part, they were out of sight.<\/span>\n\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">They certainly weren\u2019t out of mind.<\/span>\n\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">I can still distinctly remember the comments around the office: \u201cAre they really working? He probably spends half the day watching TV and running errands\u201d. \u201cShe\u2019s never there when I call\u2014who knows what she does all day\u201d. How things have changed...\u00a0<\/span>\n<h1><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Why Virtual Teams and Why Now?<\/span><\/h1>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Of course, in light of recent events, today\u2019s virtual workforce is no longer limited to sales roles. But even before the global COVID-19 pandemic, research from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iwgplc.com\/global-workspace-survey-2019\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">International Workplace Group<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> revealed that nearly 50% of Australian employees work remotely for at least half of the week and two-thirds for at least one day. Fast forward to today and given the rapid transition to the majority working from home indefinitely, millions will be collaborating virtually for the first time.\u00a0<\/span>\n\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Working remotely has a number of strategic and financial benefits, but just because more employees and teams are working virtually, it doesn\u2019t mean we\u2019ve solved those age-old trust issues. In fact, with the rise of virtual teams, we\u2019ve seen new challenges, from miscommunications and conflict to questions about accountability to a feeling of disconnect and detachment from each other and the team\u2019s common purpose.<\/span>\n\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The news isn\u2019t all bad. When the conditions are right, virtual teams can be<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.cisco.com\/press-release-content?articleId=5000107\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> more productive<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2012\/08\/are-you-taking-your-people-for\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> more engaged<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> than those who work together in the same office every day. The key is to make sure you have those right conditions in place.<\/span>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">4 Steps to Building Trust in a Virtual Team<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3>1. Start with Clarity:<\/h3>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Clarity keeps suspicion, anxiety and confusion at bay, no matter what the team\u2019s circumstances are, but it\u2019s even more important when working with virtual teams. Without regular face-to-face interaction, people can quickly lose sight of what you\u2019re trying to accomplish and how each role fits into it.<\/span>\n<ul>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Clearly and regularly articulate the team\u2019s purpose, goals and priorities.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Define roles and responsibilities and how each person contributes to the team\u2019s value and output.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Take advantage of real-time tools and technology to keep everyone up to speed and on the same page.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When in doubt, be transparent. The more people know, the less they\u2019ll \u201cfill in the blanks\u201d with assumptions and gossip.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>2. Be a Stickler for Process:<\/h3>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">With good planning, your virtual teamwork engine will be humming along smoothly. Without it, productivity and projects can quickly derail. The processes that make the most sense for your team will depend on your team\u2019s purpose and structure, but here are a few general steps you can take that will help your team stay on track:<\/span>\n<ul>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Develop some non-negotiable rules and step-by-step procedures that all team members will be held accountable to.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Build commitment by detailing out individual expectations and being explicit about deadlines and responsibilities.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Use resources like shared calendars, docs, online filing systems, and project management and collaboration tools to ensure consistency and avoid \u201cversion control\u201d problems.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Reassess and realign as necessary based on progress and results.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>3. Don\u2019t Forget the People:<\/h3>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Technology has a way of taking over the conversation about virtual teaming, but people are still the most important factor in any team\u2019s success. When in-person interaction is rare, everyone needs to pay even more attention to building that team spirit.<\/span>\n<ul>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Develop team members\u2019 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.herrmann.com.au\/blog\/2019\/11\/four-different-communication-styles-communicate-effectively-work-using-whole-brain-thinking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">communication skills<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Emails, texts, chats and even voicemails are easy to misinterpret, leading to confusion or, worse, conflict. All team members need to be able to deliver efficient, effective communications, regardless of the medium or audience.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Regularly recognise and reward successes, and find opportunities for a few high-touch, team-building experiences throughout the year.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Implement channels for gathering and providing feedback so that people feel connected, involved and heard.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Empower people with the information and skills to recognise <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.herrmann.com.au\/blog\/2019\/09\/agile-thinking-how-to-shift-your-thinking-style-to-achieve-any-workplace-goal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">their own and others\u2019 diversity of thought<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, how they balance and support each other, and how they can work together most effectively to get results.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>4. Build in Flexibility and Open the Avenues for New Ideas:<\/h3>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Many virtual employees feel more engaged and productive because a remote setup gives them more flexibility over how the work gets done and a greater work\/life balance. Once you have a shared framework and agreed-upon \u201crules of operation\u201d in place to ensure milestones and accountabilities are met, you can build flexibility and freedom into the process to keep people motivated and inspired.<\/span>\n<ul>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Allow people as much freedom as possible to dictate how they get their work done. This requires a cultural expectation that, as long as the work is being done on time as required and others are involved in appropriate ways, all team members can work in the ways that are most productive for them.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Encourage and empower the team to create its own future by tapping into its <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.herrmann.com.au\/blog\/2019\/04\/diversity-of-thought-is-critical-to-business-success\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">diversity of thought<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, perspective and ideas.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Provide collaboration tools for idea sharing, brainstorming and problem-solving.<\/span><\/li>\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Get creative and have fun with it! At Herrmann, we have <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/slack.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Slack<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> channels for inspiration, pets, geeking out and other \u201crandom thoughts.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Finally, if you\u2019re leading a virtual team, remember: <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1138144216000048\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">your role is pivotal<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. It\u2019s up to you to establish a culture of trust and engage each team member in a way that allows them to shine, collaborate productively with others and bring their best thinking to work\u2014even if \u201cto work\u201d means the short walk from the bedroom to the study.<\/span>\n<h2>When you're running a virtual team, time together is even more precious. Make the most of meeting time with the <a href=\"https:\/\/engage.herrmannsolutions.asia\/Meetings-that-Work-Toolkit-Download\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Meetings That Actually Work<\/a> interactive toolkit!<\/h2>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/engage.herrmannsolutions.asia\/Meetings-that-Work-Toolkit-Download\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img class=\"alignnone wp-image-616 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/image1-1.png\" alt=\"Click here to dowload the Meetings That Actually Work interactive toolkit.\" width=\"750\" height=\"313\" \/><\/a>\n\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This article was originally published on our US site. It has been updated and republished here to ensure our readers don\u2019t miss out on valuable information.<\/span><\/i>","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,62,19],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/614"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=614"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/614\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/615"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=614"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=614"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herrmann.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=614"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}