Have a question or idea? Reach out – we’d love to hear from you!

I agree to the Terms of Service

Manage cookies

Cookie Settings

Cookies necessary for the correct operation of the site are always enabled.
Other cookies are configurable.

Essential cookies

Always On. These cookies are essential so that you can use the website and use its functions. They cannot be turned off. They're set in response to requests made by you, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms.

Analytics cookies

Disabled

These cookies collect information to help us understand how our Websites are being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customise our Websites for you. See a list of the analytics cookies we use here.

Advertising cookies

Disabled

These cookies provide advertising companies with information about your online activity to help them deliver more relevant online advertising to you or to limit how many times you see an ad. This information may be shared with other advertising companies. See a list of the advertising cookies we use here.

Building Trust in a Virtual Team:
Practical Steps

Trust is the foundation of any team. It is difficult to imagine effective collaboration without trust, especially when it comes to a virtual environment where colleagues often never met in person. Harward Business Review has collected the best practices that really work. We share this selection with you.

By: Cyril Pigore | Co-founder at GatherTeam.Online

1.Create an atmosphere of quick trust

When a team is just being formed, all participants are in the same boat: successes and failures affect everyone. At this stage, it is important to emphasize the professionalism of all members and set clear goals so that everyone knows from the very beginning what the team is striving for. Quick trust is not a panacea, but it helps to rally people until a deeper connection appears.

2.Develop interpersonal trust

A virtual team cannot rely solely on the results of work. It is important that real human relationships develop between people. Do not think that trust will appear by itself. Organize informal meetings, support personal communication, encourage initiative and mutual assistance. This is the only way for the team to be ready to go the extra mile for each other.
Here we wrote How Virtual Team Building Can Strengthen Company Culture in Remote Teams, Why Online Travel and Virtual Adventures Improve Team Collaboration.

3.Communicate regularly and predictably

In distributed teams with a low level of trust, communication is usually chaotic: only one or two people are active, and the rest are silent. In high-trust teams, communication is even and predictable: everyone knows when a colleague will be unavailable, and no one is left in the dark. Make transparency and openness the standard - this will eliminate unnecessary questions and strengthen team spirit.

4.Delegate authority and distribute responsibility

In a virtual environment, centralized management often works worse. A study of virtual teams at a Fortune 500 IT company showed that on teams with a high level of trust, power is actually shifts between members depending on the stage of the project. Give the team the opportunity to take the initiative, make joint decisions - this will strengthen trust and increase efficiency.

5.Be proactive

Don't expect trust to come by itself. Use proven methods, implement tools for transparent communication, and develop a feedback culture. Remember: trust is not a one-time event, but a constant work.

Trust in a virtual team is built step by step. But if you act consciously and consistently, the result will not be long in coming: the team will become more cohesive, more productive and more successful.