5 crucial virtual communication skills to cultivate
Set your dispersed team up to succeed by facilitating open dialogue, encouraging lots of questions and forging meaningful relationships.
Through technology, virtual teams can take on crucial projects, but collaborating remotely requires special skills.
According to Gallup data, 43 percent of people work at least some of the time in a different location from their colleagues, and 31 percent spend 80–100 percent of their time working remotely. Smartphone apps, productivity software and a variety of instant messaging platforms connect employees worldwide.
As more and more organizations rely on virtual teams, the need for effective communication has become paramount. Here are five areas that organizations should cultivate to create seamless interactions:
1. Open and honest communication.
Nonverbal communication might not account for “93 percent” of all communication, but it is important. The lack of visual cues, body language and facial expressions puts remote workers at a severe communication disadvantage.
To compensate, companies must build an atmosphere of trust, in which clear, honest communication is a priority.
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