Remote working has been on the rise ever since the internet has become mainstream. As more and more companies throughout the world adopt the internet as their primary source of communication, the requirement of physical presence keeps decreasing. Millennials are also finding that working remotely is more beneficial as their working conditions can be catered to their personal preferences; It also gives them a better work-life balance.
With the advancement of telecommunication technologies, the idea of having virtual teams are becoming more feasible. For businesses, virtual teams can open up a vast range of new possibilities as it eliminates geographic barriers, enables new workforce demographics and gives businesses the opportunity to find the best talent from all over the world.
Richard Branson (founder of Virgin Group) believes that offices will eventually be “a thing of the past”. In an interview he says that “many employees who work from home are extremely diligent, get their job done, and get to spend more time with their families. They waste less time commuting and get a better work/life balance. To force everybody to work in offices is old school thinking.”
Advantages of Having Virtual Workers:
Virtual offices with virtual teams come with a myriad of advantages. It is more economically beneficial as you can save lots of money on office rent, electricity bills, and maintenance. This can give companies some revenue boost and can especially be advantageous to startups. You also don’t have to deal with the hassle of managing your employees as much as you have to do with your in-house workers.
Many would argue that virtual teams are not going to be as productive as they would be in an office environment, but that’s just not true. As freelancers have the flexibility to choose the place they want to work in, they can find the kind of environment that works for them and makes them productive, be it a quiet bedroom or a coffee shop. An office environment, on the other hand,d forces employees to work in an environment whether they like it or not.
Finding the Right Talent:
Hiring virtual workers are now easier than ever thanks to freelance portals like Fiverr, Behance, etc. You simply go to these websites and hire them for a specific job, and if they do well, you offer them a permanent role in your virtual office. Finding a talented freelancer requires good communication between employer and employee. Some initial questions that can help are as follows:
1. The reason for freelancing?
2. How long have you been working as a freelancer?
3. What are some of the past projects you have worked on?
As reinforcement, you can also rely on portals like Speak With A Geek which offers pre-vetted freelancers. This type of pre-screening based on technical expertise makes it very easy for employers to hire the right freelancers. Plus, you can always review their previous work and see if they fit in your company.
4. What are your ways of communication?
Some Things to consider:
Having a virtual team is by no means ‘the ultimate solution’ for all types of businesses, though. It’s always possible that many unanticipated obstacles may emerge from having virtual teams. For example, time zones from a different part of the world can make communication a difficult task. Creating a workplace culture is also much harder when no one shares an office. But as more and more companies such as Basecamp and Mozilla are embracing virtual teams are showing the world how advantageous it can be, and with the advancement of new telecommunication technologies such as virtual reality headsets and augmented reality headsets, virtual teams are only becoming more convenient.