Building the Best-Possible Virtual Team – Effortlessly!
There’s no denying that technology has changed the way we do business.
From the way we contact our clients and market our businesses, to the ability to run 24/7 stores, technology has made us closer than ever before with our customers.
But some of the ways it has helped revolutionize the industry remain overlooked.
For instance, when was the last time that you thought about technology’s ability to connect us with virtual employees?
That’s right.
An increasing number of businesses are going digital—and staying there.
With overhead costs enough to put startups out of business, some start up on the Internet with some of the most talented teams around.
What’s even more impressive is that for some of them, those team members have never met in person.
As shocking as that is, it’s true.
The digital market has allowed for the creation of completely virtual businesses that forsake the need of traditional stores and employees.
Now, you can work closely with anyone from anywhere in the world.
This has obvious advantages for both the employer and the employees.
For instance, you now don’t have to limit your employees to a certain local region. Instead, you can hire the best talent from anywhere in the world. This means that you can almost always find the person who is right for the job.
But that’s only the half of it. Studies have shown that coworkers who aren’t together in person generally perform higher. This may because they are less distracted and tempted to goof off. Whatever the reason, the data is clear:
Those who work remotely are more motivated and task-oriented—meaning they do a better job of delivering just what your company needs.
For employees, the obvious benefit is that you don’t have to be shackled into a 9-5 existence. Depending on your company, you may be able to work on your own hours—and, of course, you get to do it all from the comfort of your own home.
New studies have suggested that this is the way of the future, with millennials preferring to work at night and in their homes.
With many in the upcoming generation of workers looking for ways to stay outside of corporate buildings, it’s more important than ever before to examine how you can start building a virtual team that will help your business grow.
Putting together the right virtual team may not be easy, but it’s easier than it’s ever been before.
With new tools and resources, you can get in touch with the top talent from across the globe.
Make sure that you’re not missing out on this powerful opportunity to grow your business.
I’m going to show you how you can rise above your competitors and assemble an award-winning team, but first, let’s look a little more in detail about some of the benefits you can get from establishing a virtual business.
Benefits of Having a Virtual Business
The most obvious benefit is that there are no overhead costs. Well, none that are comparable to what you would pay in a brick-and-mortar location.
In fact, all you need to have is a webpage and some social media pages. By being able to work from home, you can make sure that you don’t have any unnecessary bills, saving more money for your innovations and for attracting new employees.
This is the first step to putting together the best virtual team possible.
Because the virtual field is growing at a rapid rate, it’s more important than ever that you can offer competitive salaries and benefits to those looking to secure employment.
By being able to best your competitors in this regard, you can start retaining some of the best talent in the nation.
Which is the other benefit to having a virtual business. We’ve seen that these businesses offer an opportunity for employees to not have to come into an office.
This is something that you can use to your advantage, right?
What person wouldn’t want to work for you if you could offer a great salary and an opportunity to work from home in their pajamas?
As you start seeing the benefits that virtual businesses have for you, leverage them so that you can start attracting top talent and building the right team.
Building a Solid Virtual Team
Which brings us to the next point.
Virtual businesses differ from brick-and-mortar ones in important ways, but this isn’t one of them.
You’re going to want to have a great staff in order to keep your business afloat.
This means that you want individuals who are self-motivated, loyal to your company, and talented. This isn’t an easy combination to find, but the good news is that with millions looking for work on the web, you just might find them easier than you think.
With this being said, however, it’s more important than ever that you understand the types of employees you’re hiring.
Without the chance to conduct a face-to-face interview, you need to make sure that you know just what kind of person you’re hiring.
Because you’re not able to be there with them, it can be harder to get a read on their character, so make sure that when you conduct a video interview for employment that you ask extra-targeted questions.
You’re going to want to make sure that you’re hiring the right person for the job.
That’s where we come in.
I can personally tell you from my experience just what kinds of individuals you’re going to want to hire.
And let me tell you: these people are in the minority.
You may have to go through several applications before you find someone who is quality enough to do the job that you’re asking them to do.
But hold out until you get there. Don’t sacrifice quality in favor of expediency, as this can have severe long-term effects on your business.
That’s why I’m going to tell you about the three different types of workers you can expect to encounter—and which one you want to hire.
Three Types of Workers
1. Average Joe
This worker is the one who doesn’t have a very high ability. They’re cut out for menial type work—janitor jobs, manufacturing, etc.—and don’t do well under pressure.
Though they might not always have a bad work attitude, they’re never going to be willing to go above and beyond their duties.
For them, there’s no such thing as a career. Instead, they come in and do a job—and that’s all it is.
You’re nothing more than a way to earn a paycheck. Work won’t necessarily be done poorly, but it won’t be executed to a standard that you want it to be.
And if you try to push for higher quality, you’re likely going to have it blowback.
The Average Joe doesn’t have much loyalty to your company—but there is some. This loyalty, however, doesn’t come from their desire to make sure that you’re putting out a good product.
It comes from their desire to keep a paycheck in their hands and food on the table.
Though they may be fine for getting the day-to-day operations of your business out of the way, they’ll never help you grow your company into anything more than it already is.
For this reason, you should avoid the Average Joe—especially if you’re looking to get your business off the ground.
2. The Career Hopper
This type of employee is in it for one thing:
The money.
As soon as they are offered money at another location, they’re going to leave.
And they may not even give you notice.
Career Hoppers follow a money trail like no other. They have a bloodhound’s scent when it comes to following paper trails and will only be with you long enough to secure even better employment elsewhere.
If your company doesn’t have any upward mobility, you should be doubly wary of the Career Hopper, as they are definitely not in it for the long haul.
3. The Loyalist
The loyalist is a highly-talented and motivated individual who has your company’s best interest at heart.
The perfect employee for your business, the Loyalist doesn’t mind going above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that your company is exceeding expectations.
Loyalists have an entrepreneurial spirit that can help your company grow.
They remain keen on seeing what they can do to exceed company expectations, and they’re team players.
They know how to work well with others—even if they do clash sometimes.
At the end of the day, you can count on a loyalist to have your company’s long-term future in mind.
Choosing Between the Three
When conducting interviews, it’s important that you weed out the different individuals listed here.
First, you can tell a Career Hopper from a mile away, as they will be focused on pay and benefits throughout the interview. You can be sure that if you’re interviewing a career hopper, these topics will come up at least once.
The Average Joe and the Loyalist can be differentiated based on their commitment to your company. Try randomized personality tests during your interview. For instance, you may ask them if they would mind starting work at 3 AM. You can bet the Average Joe will tell you no.
Managing and Rewarding Your Team
Once you’ve selected your team, make sure that you are giving them adequate praise and recognition for their work.
Because you’ll be working remotely, it’s important to maintain positive communication between all members so that you can keep everyone happy and satisfied.
By doing this, you’ll be able to build and retain a thriving virtual team.
