I Work -€“ Virtually!

Often, the top candidates for a company job opening may not reside in the same city or even the same country. So, what to do if you want the best of the best? The answer may be to build a virtual team.

“The right employee may be located anywhere,” Kristin Knight, CEO of staffing agency Filter, tells PINK. “With virtual teams, it’s more about results and the skills each person brings than where they are.”

Knight adds that other benefits of virtual teams are employer and employee flexibility, less “water cooler 

talk,” lower overhead and having the competitive advantage to pull workers quickly. Drawbacks include multiple time zones, feelings of isolation, difficulty building team trust and the necessity to over-communicate.

Want more?

When hiring for virtual teams, experts suggest looking for those with a track record of working independently who are tech-savvy and trustworthy.

Researchers say managing a virtual team means explicitly stating goals, celebrating milestones and successes by sharing them with members, constantly facilitating connections and being flexible about your availability to meet with groups and individuals.

Tools like Skype, Live Meeting and Free Conference Call will make face-time, collaborating and showing visual examples easier.

Bonus PINK Link: Check out even more tips for building an effective team.

By Caroline Cox

“In the right formation, the lifting power of many wings can achieve
twice the distance of any bird flying alone.” Unknown