What is a virtual team?
A virtual team can be defined as a set of employees working with the same organisation but practising their working options from different places that don’t have a centralised working station. However, individual employees usually have rather unsaturated working schedules and usually attend an office one or two times a week.
In this blog, we will understand why companies use virtual teams.
While the terms "remote team" and "virtual team" are often used interchangeably, there are subtle differences between the two:
1. Structure and composition
Remote Team: Usually characterised by workers and teams of the same organisation working from different locations. The only factor that seems to be distinctive about virtual teams is the place of work rather than the heterogeneity of tasks or responsibilities.
Virtual Team: This can contain participants hailing from different organisations or departments and this is an inter-organisational process. Virtual teams primarily work on some projects or goals and generally are more changing in terms of their members.
2. Geographical distribution
Remote Team: Members might not necessarily be in a central place but more often are located within the same country or even better within the same region. It is pretty close-ended and focuses more on the aspect of telecommuting and people being able to work more from home and not have to travel to work as often.
Virtual Team: Generally, it is an international organisation, people usually members who work from different countries and often in different time zones. While an organisation’s broad distribution has positive impacts, it can also present coordination and communication challenges.
3. Purpose and duration
Remote Team: These teams usually have a long-term arrangement as part of the organisation's workforce strategy. Remote work is often a permanent or semi-permanent setup.
Virtual Team: Often formed for specific projects or tasks and can be temporary in nature. Once the project is completed, the virtual team may disband, or members may move on to other projects or teams.
Whether you wish to build a remote or a virtual team, connect with Black Piano to make this process hassle-free and easy. Schedule a call with Jon today, and we will build a team as per your requirements and needs.
Confused as to why India is our offshoring partner? Read our previous article- “Offshoring IT talent to India”, to understand what makes India the best country for offshoring for UK companies.
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What are the roles in a virtual team?
1. Leader
Due to their central role, the Leader is responsible for charting the strategic courses of the virtual team through goal setting that is synonymous with the organisational vision. In a virtual team, this person makes sure that every single worker knows what they are expected to do concerning the whole large plan to create a purposeful and united virtual team.
To top it up frequent check-ins and team meetings are conducted by the Leader to keep Team A highly motivated, actively participating and sharing ideas. This makes the Leader support and guide the team through various situations and affairs, and always encourage and appreciate the team’s accomplishments thus creating a harmonious working atmosphere.
2. Challenger
The Challenger serves the purpose of a genius member in a group where he/she brings forth unique ideas all the time having gone through the unconventional approach to arriving at the solutions presented. In a typical questioning style, the Challenger poses questions that the members of the team may find challenging to answer; this is because these questions reveal critical problems and thinking that might be subconsciously preventing the team from moving forward.
Their function is critical in managing anticipations for future issues and encouraging the development of a culture that constantly adapts and makes improvements. The Challenger of course makes certain that through effective problem-solving endeavours, the team builds and creates sound efficacious solutions to propel the project with increased directness and proficiency.
3. Doer
The Doer is the driving force of the virtual team by managing the ‘nuts and bolts’ of getting things done and moving the project forward. These skills involve the ability to sort and manage working tasks in relation to specific deadlines and how to ensure that the team continues its performance in line with certain objectives.
By setting and observing specific time horizons and deliverables of the project, the Doer keeps the project partners updated on progress and change of course in case of challenge. It makes them good problem solvers and protectors of the team’s plan as well as assets that always guarantee timely and efficient delivery of tasks.
4. Thinker
The Thinker performs all the cognitive work of the virtual team, multitasking and creating lots of ideas while accumulating important data. Its tasks include a collection of large amounts of information and the provision of well-researched recommendations crucial for the team’s decisions.
Moreover, closely following the tendencies and innovations in the given field, the Thinker contributes knowledge and new ideas to the meeting room. The Thinker coordinates diverse data into workable plans, ensuring that the proliferation of the team’s work is backed up with the most recent data and techniques to steer the project down the success path.
5. Supporter
Interestingly, the Supporter can facilitate setting positive relationships in the team, which should be defined as one of the key priorities for improving the work of a virtual team. It is a well-coordinated company when it comes to conflict solving, and they take their time to ensure that any problem is solved without any further complications, and peacefully too. The Supporter offers encouragement and emotional boosting of other members of the team, letting them know that they belong and are important.
In other words, a Supporter is good at leading a discourse in a way that ensures that the opinions of all individuals are considered valid and that the entire group environment is conducive to productivity. AIDS contain lengthy work of preserving team cohesiveness and morale is essential for long-term effective and quality performance.
What are the three types of virtual teams?
There are three types of virtual teams: Networked Teams, Parallel Teams, and Production Teams. Let’s discuss each one in detail:
Networked teams
Networked teams are composed of individuals who collaborate to achieve a specific goal or complete a project, but the team members are typically spread across different locations and may even work for different organisations.
These teams are often formed to leverage specialised expertise from various fields or departments. They are dynamic, the group of team members can ebb and flow as the project progresses.
How do Networked teams differ? Networked teams are common in situations where diverse skill sets are needed to address complex problems, and they rely heavily on digital communication tools to coordinate their efforts and share information.
Parallel teams
Parallel teams are made up of members who work concurrently on several portions of the project. While working on parallel teams, members of the teams are typically located in the same organisation, and their objective is the same, which may be the attainment of a common goal or shift.
It is important for such teams to have specific objectives with respect to the processes they are involved in, the methods or the strategies that can be implemented to help drive change. They run parallel, and each controls certain aspects or segments of the project which contribute to the intended goal. This means that there needs to be efficient and effective organisational and managerial communication and coordination when there are parallel and interdependent activities involved in a project.
How do Parallel teams differ? Parallel teams typically have a more structured and defined workflow compared to networked teams.
Production teams
Production teams are virtual teams that are responsible for the ongoing operations and delivery of products or services. These teams are stable and have a continuous role within an organisation, often involved in routine and repetitive tasks.
The main function of production teams is to ensure the efficient and consistent output of goods or services. They manage day-to-day operations and are crucial for maintaining quality and meeting deadlines. Production teams use virtual collaboration tools to manage workflows, track progress, and resolve issues in real-time.
How do Production teams differ? Unlike the more fluid and dynamic networked and parallel teams, production teams tend to have a more fixed composition and a longer-term focus.
Not sure which one is best for you? Don’t worry, Book a Call, and we will help you build an impeccable team.
Read our blog on offshoring trends to make sure your business is future-ready.
Virtual team best practices- How to manage a team virtually?
Effective communication
To know the progress and management of tasks, have frequent video conferences and can convey and solve problems and coordinate further work in real-time. Agree on the expectations regarding further communications as the frequency of responses, channels for communication (for instance, e-mail, instant messengers, video calls) and working hours.
Clear roles and responsibilities
It is necessary to outline specific goals and missions for the team to prevent misunderstanding and bureaucratic approach. Document all the organisation’s workflows, procedures, and project data in such a way that employees can readily access it.
Use of technology
Use the project management tools like Asana, Trello or Jira and document sharing platforms like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.
Black Piano makes it a policy that all the members of the team adhere to the set standard protocols when it comes to h2ard security. Ensure the usage of secure connections and a reliable authentication scheme.
Regular performance reviews
Set up performance objectives to evaluate the performance of teams and workers. And give constant feedback that can be given during one-on-one meetings and performance appraisals to assist the employees and boost morale.
Flexibility and work-life balance
Flexitime should be embraced, which will enable workers to work at a time they deem best depending on the working shift or personal commitments. Assist with the affairs concerning the mental health of all employees or provide the possibility for counselling or wellness programs.
Virtual team building activities
Organise virtual breaks, online games or activities that remind the team that working together is not solely for achieving a goal or completing a project, but for joining a friendly community of professionals. It is advised to boost participants’ engagement in these activities in order to support other team members and create a sense of belonging despite working at a distance.
Continuous learning and development
Ensure that employees have access to enable them to undertake online courses and webinars among other training courses. To address this, it pinpoints the skills deficits present in the team and offers training that empowers workers to acquire new competencies in their work, as well as enhances the personnel and the institution’s competencies.
Cultural sensitivity
Be aware of cultural differences and promote an inclusive environment where all team members feel valued and respected. Develop a global mindset by encouraging team members to learn about different cultures and practices. Foster cultural acceptance and enhance the benefits of offshoring.
Trust and transparency
Be transparent about company goals, individual roles, and project status to build trust within the team. Acknowledge and celebrate achievements and milestones to boost morale and show appreciation for team members’ efforts. Connect with a trustworthy and transparent virtual team builder.
Regular check-ins
Regularly check in with team members individually to address any concerns and provide much needed support. Use these check-ins to build relationships and ensure team members feel supported and heard.
These tips will help you in managing virtual teams easily and promote virtual team-building activities in UK business.
How does Black Piano support virtual teams?
Black Piano connects UK companies with skilled Indian talent, enabling you to leverage cost-effective solutions without compromising on quality. By streamlining the hiring process, Black Piano allows you to easily find and collaborate with professionals who offer expertise in various fields, from software development to creative services.
One of the key advantages of using Black Piano is its extensive network of talented individuals in India, where the cost of living is lower, resulting in more competitive pricing for high-quality work. This not only reduces operational expenses for companies but also allows these companies to allocate resources more efficiently.
Still confused? Here is a detailed blog on why you should offshore to India.
Black Piano ensures smooth communication and project management by integrating advanced collaboration tools. This fosters seamless interaction between teams and Indian talent, enhancing productivity and meeting project deadlines.
Black Piano supports virtual teams by offering access to a diverse pool of skilled professionals in India, facilitating cost-effective and efficient solutions for businesses around the globe.
Worried about the cost? Don’t be! Use our cost of an employee calculator to see how much you save when you offshore or outsource to India. Read our blog on Why you should offshore your IT services to India to analyse your business gains.
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