Facilitating effective collaboration within a virtual workspace

Remote work is rapidly becoming the "new normal" for many organizations. According to data from professional job board Ladders, almost 15% of U.S.-based jobs today are remote. That's an 11-point increase from 2020, when only 4% were remote. And when companies can save as much as $11,000 per worker per year with a remote workforce, it's clear that this upward trend will only continue.

There is one issue, though — collaboration. Businesses of all sizes know that collaboration is the key to innovative, high-quality work. But managing smooth collaboration within virtual teams can be challenging for companies new to remote environments. 

We're here to remind you that virtual collaboration is totally doable. By focusing on improving your company culture and using the right tools, you can create a remote workforce that collaborates with ease.

Skip unnecessary meetings

Your people can't focus when meetings are constantly interrupting their workflow. Show that you respect their time by being intentional when scheduling meetings.

Before you schedule a meeting, make sure it has a clear purpose. Many remote managers will arrange meetings that they could've taken care of with a quick email to communicate or clarify an issue.

Before scheduling any meeting, ask yourself if it’s truly necessary, or if the issue could best be revolved another way.

Hold meetings with purpose

When a meeting is necessary, make it effective:

• Create an agenda: Jot down all the major talking points you want to discuss to help yourself stay on task
• Plan ahead: Give everyone advance notice to ensure they can attend, and notify any team members you want input from so they have enough time to prepare
• Record key points: Have someone keep meeting minutes for future reference, or record the meeting via your video conferencing platform

Strategically planning meetings allows your team to maintain focus on their tasks, which helps them produce quality work.

Break down silos

When departments and team members don't communicate, they can accidentally build data silos. A data silo is a collection of isolated content controlled by one department or group. Typically, other groups within the organization don't have access to the silo, which can negatively impact efficiency and collaboration.

Breaking these silos down is critical. Here are some ways your organization can use cloud-based collaboration tools to eliminate silos within your remote workforce.

Centralize your storage system

It's easy for remote workers to forget they're part of a team, which can lead to operational silos. Often, people will use their own storage devices — including their computers, smartphones, and thumb drives — to store content. As a result, others within your organization have trouble accessing what they need to do their work.

Implementing a cloud-based content storage system eliminates silos by providing one location for all your company's content, from project outlines to employee feedback. Everyone can access the materials they need whenever they need them, enabling consistent productivity.

Centralized storage is also essential for building a culture of transparency and trust within your organization. By providing easy access to materials, you show your people you want them to succeed, which can increase confidence and collaboration.

Make communication transparent

You need clear, open communication across your organization to collaborate virtually. Transparency should be your company's policy for all communications. 

Building a safe and supportive culture gives your workers the confidence they need to speak up when they have something to share. Openness in communication from every level of your organization — especially leadership — is vital. Employees need to feel that they have someone to go to when they need help.

For example, leadership should encourage people to ask for clarification when they need it. They should then provide straightforward answers to prevent confusion and miscommunication.

Use the right tools

Cloud-based content collaboration and communication tools facilitate both synchronous and asynchronous work, which are both key functions in a remote workforce.

The cloud is what makes virtual collaboration possible. Because it only requires an internet connection for access to content, people can log on and get to work from anywhere, on any device. They can see what their co-workers are doing even when they're working from separate locations. And they can get real-time updates on important tasks and projects so they have full visibility into your day-to-day operations.

Choosing the right tools for your organization is essential for getting the best results. Pay careful attention to the features each solution offers, and read reviews from others within your industry.

Over-communicate

Speaking face-to-face on every single topic isn't a viable option for most remote workforces. That's why over-communication is so helpful for virtual collaboration.

Over-communication doesn’t mean sending more messages — too many messages can hamper productivity and frustrate your teams. Instead, think quality over quantity. How can you pack as much detail as possible into a single message?

To minimize confusion, explain exactly what you want instead of sending short, cryptic messages. For example, instead of asking for a “brief report on content,” which sounds vague and could be interpreted in various ways, ask for “a few paragraphs on blog metrics.” The second example tells your employee everything you want, so they can get to work right away.

As you draft your message, think about any questions your recipient could have and answer them to help avoid back-and-forth. If you're proposing a time for a meeting, list the time zone, for instance.

Harness the power of visuals and audio

Everyone processes information differently. Visual thinkers, for example, process words as a series of mental images. As a result, visual communication is the best way to explain ideas to them. Some cloud-based visualization tools you can use include:

• Video-conferencing platforms: Written communication can be tough to interpret without physical cues like body language — video meetings help bridge that gap by enabling synchronous meetings from anywhere
• Digital whiteboards: Virtual whiteboards let you visualize complex ideas by drawing diagrams, creating sticky notes, and adding other media
• File-sharing platforms: Team members can work on the same document in real time, reducing the risk of confusion and duplicate work
• Project management tools: Cloud-based project management tools like virtual Kanban boards and Gantt charts help keep everyone engaged and on task during meetings

Pre-recorded audio clips can also help you get information across to auditory processors. For example, if one worker was absent from a meeting, you can record a brief sound bite explaining the key points. 

Develop a strong company culture

Company culture is the way your organization gets work done. It includes everything from your mission statement to your expectations for employee behaviors.

When you're working in the office, you can often get a feel for a company's culture the moment you walk in the door. But creating and communicating your company culture can be challenging for remote workforces.

Building a strong company culture can help remote teams fully engage with their work.

Build trust

Building a psychologically safe environment is critical for developing trusting relationships between co-workers. When people feel like they can trust their teammates, they're more likely to experiment and innovate. They can also fully engage in collaborative projects. 

Demonstrate to your employees that you value their input by listening to what they say and acting on their feedback. Leading by example inspires your people and sets a model for your workforce to mirror.

You might also want to check in one on one with workers that are less active than others. Make sure they understand company expectations, and answer any questions they may have. Even a 15-minute check-in shows your people that their success matters to you, which can motivate them to participate more fully.

Create spaces for casual conversation

Isolation and loneliness are among the biggest drawbacks to remote work. When employees feel disconnected from their company, they're less likely to stay engaged with their work.

To remedy this, you could create an internal messaging channel specifically for casual chatting. Set guidelines around appropriate communication for that channel to make sure everyone understands your expectations. 

Setting up a virtual lounge provides another space for workers to make small talk with their team members. It replicates the experience of spontaneous breakroom conversation that just isn't possible in a remote workspace. Providing fun icebreakers and activities for team members can help them overcome any feelings of awkwardness they may have.

Account for time-zone differences

Remote team members can work from anywhere in the country — or even anywhere in the world. While this arrangement is convenient, it also complicates communication. Depending on where your team members live, you might be working across several time zones, which can impact productivity.

The solution? Embrace asynchronous communication. While synchronous communication is the norm in most workplaces, asynchronous communication enables you to stay in touch with employees no matter where they are.

Asynchronous communication means sending messages without requiring or expecting an immediate response. For example, you might send an email, and the recipient might send a response several hours later.

Meet up face to face

If possible, schedule time for team members to meet in person outside of work. Casual face-to-face interactions remove the physical barrier between team members, making it easier to connect and build trust. 

If your team is geographically distributed, it might make more sense to hold virtual team-building events instead. These activities, like virtual happy hours or game nights, can help team members build rapport without requiring extra travel. 

Share resources with each other

It's hard to be productive when you can't access the materials you need. According to research from the McKinsey Global Institute, knowledge workers spend almost 20% of the workweek searching for information, which cuts into the time they have to complete meaningful work.

Encourage your people to share resources across teams and departments to ensure everyone has access to what they need to do their jobs. Cloud-based file-sharing platforms and centralized storage systems provide a single repository for everyone in the organization, and you can limit access to restricted resources based on roles. 

Clearly define team roles and goals

When you have a clear idea of what your responsibilities are, you can spring into action. People can work together seamlessly without worrying about overstepping boundaries, and productivity is high. 

First, consider your team's overall goals. How does each member of the team contribute to these goals in their day-to-day work? Once you've answered this question, you can begin setting responsibilities.

Here are some tips for defining roles and responsibilities within remote teams:

• Address overlaps: Redundant roles result in duplicate work and inefficiencies, so make sure each role has unique duties to prevent team members from redoing work others have already completed
• Be prepared to change: Your team's goals may change over time — be open to redefining roles and responsibilities to ensure continued productivity
• Balance the workload: Allocate work evenly across your team to prevent bottlenecks, and conduct regular one-on-one meetings with team members to check in and make sure you're scheduling work fairly

The benefits of virtual collaboration

Just like with face-to-face collaboration, virtual collaboration improves your company's efficiency and workflow. Here are some of the top ways that effective virtual collaboration can benefit your organization.

Increased employee retention

Although remote work is popular, people who work remotely most or all of the time can be prone to feeling isolated and lonely. And disengaged team members are more likely to leave your company, costing you valuable time and resources.

Providing resources for effective virtual team collaboration and opportunities for casual interactions helps team members connect on a more human level. This ability to forge real bonds with co-workers increases the chances of someone staying with your company longer.

Better performance and higher productivity

Cloud-based communication and collaboration tools enable you to replicate an in-person office environment even when your people are spread across the country. Real-time chat platforms, for example, allow team members to get answers to urgent questions in only a few minutes. And centralized cloud storage platforms provide everyone with the resources they need to complete their work on time.

Creativity and problem-solving

Because they're not bound by the limitations of a traditional office, virtual teams have more room to innovate and create new ways of working. With the proper resources, virtual teams can bounce ideas off each other, provide constructive feedback and find inventive solutions to problems.

Discover the power of the Content Cloud

With a single secure platform for all your content, Box enables you to manage the entire content lifecycle: file creation, co-editing, sharing, e-signature, classification, retention, and so much more. We make it easy for you to collaborate on content with anyone, both inside and outside your organization. Frictionless, enterprise-grade security and compliance are built into our DNA, so you get total peace of mind that your content is protected. And with 1,500+ seamless integrations — as well as a range of native capabilities, like Box Sign — the Content Cloud provides a single content layer that ensures your teams can work the way they want.

The Content Cloud is a game changer for the entire organization, streamlining workflows and boosting productivity across every team. Contact us today, and explore what you can do with Box.

**While we maintain our steadfast commitment to offering products and services with best-in-class privacy, security, and compliance, the information provided in this blogpost is not intended to constitute legal advice. We strongly encourage prospective and current customers to perform their own due diligence when assessing compliance with applicable laws.