Advice on how to manage a distributed workforce.

1. Managing a Successful Virtual Team
Eleanor Windsor
June 2017

2. Or working from home?
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3. • By 2020 70% of managers and organisations will have
adopted mobile working
– The Work Foundation, Lancaster University, 2016
• 28% of employees want to work from home at least
some of the time, but only 22% of employers offer it
– Great Place to Work, 2016
• Companies saw work productivity increase by 13.5%
after permitting remote working
– Harvard Business Review, 2014
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4. Coordinating your virtual team
• Induction and welcome
• Online team meetings
• 1-1 calls
• Online training, working
groups, projects
• In person events/training
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5. Coordinating your virtual team
• Mentors / buddies
• Watercooler / virtual coffee break
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6. Create online communities…
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7. A few tips and tricks
Get to know your virtual colleagues
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Combine different communication
mechanisms

8. A few tips and tricks
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Identify a working space at home
Take breaks
Publish your hours
Keep in touch – don’t become isolated

9. A few tips and tricks
Have a home working policy –
offer a ‘home working buddy’
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Have regular updates with staff to
see how things are going
Don’t suffer in silence – address
issues quickly!

10. Virtual work benefits for employees
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No commute
Cost saving
Saving on wardrobe
Walking the dog
Flexible
Time for family
Living away from cities
Taking deliveries

11. Virtual work benefits for companies
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Agility, scalability
Bigger talent pool
Just-in-time agility
Real estate savings
Enhanced service
hours
Improved client service
and support
Less office management
Smaller environmental
footprint

12. Challenges of virtual working
Isolation
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Inequality?

13. Challenges of virtual working
Technology – make sure it works!
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14. Challenges of virtual working
Distractions
Work creeping into your home life
Deciding when to stop
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15. What can happen…
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-39232538/bbc-interview-with-robert-kelly-interrupted-by-children-live-on-air

16. Tips to build relationship with end users – remotely…
Small talk online
Picking up the phone
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17. Remembering those special occasions…
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18. Tips to build relationship with end users – remotely…
Use regular updates / newsletters
Go there in person – sometimes
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19. And the best bit…
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