Team members do the work and then go work on other things. Connie Swartz, president of Creative Courseware, a job training and technology assistance firm, said she hasn't had a problem using virtual employees for projects because she did the same type of work in the 1970s. I had been on the other end of it. I knew when I said I was working, I was working. Swartz noted that virtual employees can be more productive, experiencing fewer interruptions than if they were in the office.
Communication is a big key.
Swartz said Creative Courseware has a system in place so each person on a project knows where the project is and how the stages of the project should be handled. It's a matter of making sure everyone has common goals in the virtual office and the company office. People who share that vision of what I do make better virtual teammates than people who don't. He said his reputation is on the line, so the key is to go slowly and build relationships. People who partner with companies in a virtual way have a project mentality that helps the level of performance.