The Top 5 Things To Remember When Setting Up Virtual Workspaces for Your Team  

If you are setting up a virtual workspace for your team, you must make sure that you put your employees in the best position possible to be successful. There are a lot of companies that have realized the benefits of allowing their employees to work remotely. Their employees are happier, they tend to be more productive, and they widen the talent pool. If you want your employees to maximize their productivity, take a look at the top things you need to know about setting up a virtual workspace.

1. Virtual Workspace Does Not Always Mean Work From Home

First, there are a lot of people who assume that virtual workspaces mean that employees are working from home. That is not always the case. There are lots of reasons why employees who are not in the office may not work from home. There may be a lot of distractions at home, they might not have an office from which to work, and they might be worried about being too loud themselves. Therefore, a lot of people who work remotely will find a dedicated coworking space to do their jobs.

2. Prioritize Asynchronous Communication

Virtual workspaces need to prioritize asynchronous communication. What this means is that people have different schedules, so employees cannot simply walk down the hall to the office to ask a question. It can be much harder to coordinate meetings and phone calls, which is why employers need to invest in the right tools to make it easier for employees to streamline their communications, share documents with one another, and keep different conversations about various topics separate.

3. Create Room for Virtual Collaboration

When asynchronous communication, such as emails and text messages, doesn’t work well anymore, make sure there is a dedicated space for virtual collaboration. Video conferencing calls can be helpful because it makes it easier for employees to read emotions, body language, and tone of voice. All employees must have access to comprehensive virtual collaboration tools, which means investing in quality internet connections, microphones, and computer cameras.

4. Strive for Transparency

Companies need to think about ways to strive for transparency. Sometimes, when people aren’t in the office, they have a difficult time figuring out how their job fits in with the rest of the team. Or, they may have a difficult time getting questions answered because they don’t know who to go to for help. Companies need to be open, honest, and transparent about how employees and projects are being evaluated. Employers also need to make sure that all employees know who to contact when they need help with something.

5. Ask Employees To Set Boundaries

It can be difficult when someone is working remotely because employers may never truly know if that person is working or not. Therefore, it is critical for employees to set boundaries. When employees are at work, they need to let their colleagues know that they are working. Then, when employees go home for the evening, they need to have a reliable way to let their colleagues know that they are done for the day. When employees set boundaries, it is easier to maintain employee morale and productivity. Happier employees are more productive.

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