Communicating effectively and resolving conflicts in a virtual team

Every job has its share of conflicts and problems. Resolving conflicts in office is very important to maintain a healthy work environment. If the conflicts are handled well, there is an opportunity to learn and grow. There are many ways to resolve conflicts. One of the greatest skills that aids in conflict resolution is effective communication.

Communicating effectively and resolving conflicts are much easier in an office setting. Remote work is the woy people want to work.

Related topic: Searching for the perfect remote job – Akraya.

In a remote work setting it is not easy to communicate as there is lack of in-person, face to face communication and the way to communicate is mostly text based through messages which requires strong writing and reading skills.

These five tips will help you address these issues when working remotely:  

1. Focus on communicating clearly. When working remotely, over-communicating is the way to go. That means letting your manager, teammates, and other affected parties know your regular schedule, when you’ve completed tasks or projects, and that you have upcoming vacations or other out-of-office plans. Be sure to use email and messaging apps like Slack frequently to keep everyone informed. Keep your communications as precise and as brief as possible. Pay particular attention to the tone in your written messages to make sure it’s positive and a message’s intent won’t be misinterpreted.
   
   Related topic: Teamwork in a Virtual World  – AkrayaUnderstanding communication styles of the team members helps build trust and enables effective decision making in addition to improving interpersonal skills.
2. Develop good meeting etiquette. Video meetings are the lifeblood of remote work, and they have their own evolving set of rules. The primary takeaway is to always use video so everyone can see your face and body language. That way they’ll know that you’re engaged and paying attention.
3. Document your work. Create and share documents that outline your tasks, ideas, and completions. That lets everyone know what you’ve done, what you’re doing, and what’s next.
   
    
4. Learn how to resolve conflicts. Conflicts between workers, teams, and management are common in the workplace. Resolving an issue conflict and its underlying issues is much harder for remote teams. Addressing an issue before it grows into something bigger — as well as respecting others and giving them the benefit of the doubt — are effective ways to avoid and resolve conflict.Related topic: Searching for the perfect remote job – Akraya
   
5. Connect with your teammates. Getting to know coworkers beyond work will help you communicate with them better and may help reduce misunderstandings and conflict. Start or end work meetings with personal check-ins so everyone can catch up. Have dedicated video calls focused solely on getting to know one another. This is particularly important to help build bonds with new or introverted teammates (or if you’re an introvert). Encourage the sharing of photos of your spouses, kids, pets, meals, or travels. Organize meet-ups with coworkers who live nearby or are visiting the area.

All of these efforts will help you connect with your coworkers, improve your job performance, and build important soft skills that will be useful throughout your career. 

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