Building a successful digital team is crucial for orgs aiming to thrive. It’s essential in helping drive innovation and enabling the effective implementation of new digital strategies.
This post explores key steps and considerations to build digital (100% remote) teams. More specifically, I’ll cover the basics, from defining roles and skillsets to fostering a collaborative culture and investing in professional development. The goal is to provide insights and some actionable tips (I’ll put them in italics) to help assemble and empower a high-performing digital team.
Before we dive too deep, let’s highlight the subtle differences between non-digital and digital teams.
Non-Digital vs. Digital Team Differences
Digital Teams
A digital team (sometimes known as a remote or virtual team) operates virtually. They operate “electronically” and use digital tools and platforms. Please note that this is NOT considered a hybrid team.
Digital Team Benefits:
- Global Talent Access: Virtual teams can tap into a global talent pool, allowing access to diverse skills and expertise.
- Cost Efficiency: Reduced need for physical office space and equipment can save costs.
- Flexibility: Team members can often work from anywhere.
- Scalability: It’s easier to scale the team up (vs. not) based on project needs. Of course, this is from an operational standpoint. Finding the talent is another story.
(P.S. This is a partial list. Comment below with additional benefits.)
Digital Team Challenges:
- Communication: Remote work can lead to communication/collaboration difficulties and may hinder productivity.
- Tip: ensure digital team members have remote work experience.
- Cultural Differences: Working across time zones and cultures can result in misunderstandings. (Also, be aware of time zone differences.)
- Security Risks: Virtual teams face cybersecurity threats if they are not adequately protected.
- Tip: If hiring entirely remote teams, your IT department should have a comprehensive remote work, cybersecurity, and data policy.
- Isolation: Some team members may experience feelings of isolation and disconnection.
Non-digital or Hybrid Teams
Non-digital (in-person or hybrid) teams typically work together (2 to 5+ days a week) in the same physical location.
Benefits:
- Immediate Communication: Face-to-face interactions enable instant communication, which helps to reduce misunderstandings.
- Team Bonding: Physical presence can foster team cohesion and build stronger (or at least slightly more meaningful) work relationships.
- Collaboration: In-person meetings or “live” brainstorming sessions can lead to more impromptu interactions – note that I did not say that it stifles creativity and innovation.
- The impact of creativity and innovation regarding working remotely vs. in-person is up for debate (that’s what I go to grad school for). Here are some resources:
Virtual Team Challenges:
- Limited Talent Pool: If located in a particular industry hub, non-digital teams may have limited access to specialized skills.
- Higher Overheads: Rent, utilities, and office expenses can be substantial.
- Inflexibility: There is less room for remote work options, which can be a disadvantage in certain situations, such as during a pandemic. Of course, this depends on your industry, business model, and other factors.
- Tip: Have a remote work implementation plan. According to Airfinity, there’s a 27.5% chance of another global pandemic (equivalent to or worse than COVID-19) within the next 10 years.
Considerations for Both Types of Teams
- Team Composition: When building either type of team, consider the skills, expertise, and personalities required for the specific project or task. For example, understanding the nuanced differences between project and program management can be super helpful. The same goes for having a Talent Strategy (more on that below).
- Communication: Clear and effective communication is crucial regardless of the team type. Virtual teams may require robust online collaboration tools, while non-virtual teams need well-structured meetings and channels.
- Project Nature: The nature of the project or task should dictate team type. Highly technical digital transformation projects may benefit from digital teams, while collaborative creative projects might lean toward non-digital teams. For example, I’m a project manager specializing in citizen development and focused on projects that use tech for good.
- Goals and Objectives: Clearly define your project’s goals and desired outcomes, as this will impact team formation.
- Flexibility: Flexibility is vital in a rapidly changing environment.
Building Digital Teams: Key Components and Considerations
Define Roles and Responsibilities
Start by clearly defining the roles and responsibilities within your digital team. Identify the key positions required, such as technical project managers, digital business analysts, UX/UI designers, web strategists, citizen developers (read about my journey), digital marketers, or a strategy and operations professional like me. Also, clearly articulate the responsibilities and expectations for each role to ensure alignment and avoid duplication of efforts.
Identify Essential Skillsets to Build Digital Teams
Identify the essential skillsets needed for your virtual team (based on your organization’s goals and digital initiatives). These may include technical skills like programming, data analysis, marketing operations, or soft skills like creativity, communication, and problem-solving.
Recruit and Hire Top Talent
Recruiting is challenging but possible. Of course, we need to leverage various channels and platforms. Yet finding “centralized” talent for specific, in-demand skills…makes it exponentially more challenging to find the right candidate. Remote work (decentralized) opens up your talent pool.
Pro-tip: Have a Talent Strategy first.
Foster Collaboration and Cross-Functional Expertise
Encourage collaboration and cross-functional expertise within your digital team. Create opportunities for team members to collaborate on projects, share knowledge, and exchange ideas. To do that, foster a learning and continuous improvement culture where team members are encouraged to expand their skill sets and collaborate across disciplines. Lastly, ensure your org doesn’t suffer from toxic positivity and other similar roadblocks.
Provide the Right Tools and Resources
Equip your digital team with the right tools and resources to maximize their productivity and effectiveness. For example, provide access to cutting-edge software, collaboration platforms, and project management tools (consider a PMO). Invest in training and professional development programs to keep team members updated with the latest trends and technologies (like AI).
Establish Clear Communication Channels
Establish clear communication channels within your virtual teams to facilitate effective collaboration and information sharing. Of course, create consistent schedules to enable regular team meetings, project updates, and transparent communication to foster unity and ensure everyone aligns with the team’s goals and objectives.
Encourage Innovation and Creativity
Nurture a culture of innovation and creativity within your digital team. Encourage team members to think outside the box, experiment with new ideas, and propose innovative solutions.
Support Professional Development
Invest in the professional development of your team members (for in-person, hybrid, AND remote roles). Provide training opportunities, attend industry conferences, and offer mentorship programs. Encouraging continuous learning not only enhances the skillsets of individual team members but also strengthens the overall capabilities and expertise of the digital team.
The Takeaway: Digital Teams Help Bridge Talent Gaps and More!
Building successful virtual teams requires careful planning, practices, and know-how. Furthermore, considering the above, you can establish more straightforward communication channels, spark innovation, foster creativity, support professional development, and much more. It’s an ongoing process — not a one-stop shop — that requires effort, nurturing, and adaptation to the evolving digital landscape. It is not meant for every worker or company.