How to Hire & Manage Virtual Teams from Udemy

Working remotely from home in virtual teams could be the future of work as we know it.

Why? The reasons are simple.

86% of employees prefer to work from home
30% of employees report higher productivity while remote
Companies that allow remote work experience have a whopping 50% lower annual turnover
87% of employees say they are more engaged, not less, when working from home
68% of job seekers say that the option to work remote would greatly increase their interest in a position
65% of employees say they would strongly consider leaving their position for a remote position with similar pay

Remote work is a global phenomenon and it's growing. The number of employees working remotely has grown by 4% each year for the last 5 years. Sooner or later, all companies will have to offer some kind of option to work remote otherwise they'll risk losing talent and falling behind.

It's no wonder so many well know companies are running their entire teams without an office. Companies like Buffer, Automattic, Zapier, & Toptal just to name a few.

But how exactly can you make sure you get the same return and the same quality work from every remote employee?

Well, that's exactly what we're going to cover in this course.

We'll cover how to:

Assemble a great team of qualified, talented remote workers
Select the best online tools to successfully complete projects
Form great communication and leadership habits to inspire your team
Create a virtual culture for your team over time, and
Establish helpful policies and procedures to evaluate their performance

Understanding & implementing the best practices of remote hiring and remote management could be the difference between success and failure.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Assemble a great team of qualified, talented remote workers
Select the best online tools to successfully complete projects
Form great communication and leadership habits to inspire your team

Create a virtual culture for your team over time
Establish helpful policies and procedures to evaluate their performance

Assemble a great team of qualified, talented remote workers
Select the best online tools to successfully complete projects
Form great communication and leadership habits to inspire your team
Create a virtual culture for your team over time
Establish helpful policies and procedures to evaluate their performance

Syllabus

Welcome & Getting Started

Course overview

What do remote workers value most?

Putting Together a Virtual Team

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Covers how to assemble a team of qualified remote workers, which is essential for companies adopting remote work models

Teaches communication and leadership habits to inspire virtual teams, which is crucial for maintaining team morale and productivity

Explores establishing virtual work policies, which helps ensure consistent performance and accountability within remote teams

Examines how to select online tools for project completion, which is important for streamlining workflows and enhancing collaboration

Discusses creating a virtual culture, which is vital for fostering team cohesion and a sense of belonging among remote employees

Focuses on habits of successful virtual team managers, which may require learners to unlearn habits from traditional office settings

Reviews summary

Practical guide to managing virtual teams

According to students, this course provides a solid foundation for understanding how to work with remote teams. Many learners found the course offered practical tips and actionable strategies they could immediately apply. Key features highlighted include the modules on hiring best practices and communication strategies, which were particularly well-received. Some reviews suggest the course is best suited for those new to managing remote workers, while a few more experienced professionals found parts of the content somewhat basic, indicating it may offer more breadth than depth on certain topics. The discussion of online tools was helpful to some, though the nature of technology means this section may require supplemental research.

Discusses choosing online tools for virtual teams.

"The part about selecting the right tools was helpful, though technology changes fast."

"Received some good suggestions for virtual collaboration tools."

"Learned about different types of online tools useful for managing projects remotely."

Specific topics like hiring and communication stand out.

"The section on hiring remote employees was incredibly valuable to me."

"Communicating effectively with my virtual team has been a challenge, and this course offered some great insights here."

"Found the modules covering hiring practices and communication particularly useful."

Offers tips and strategies ready for immediate use.

"The advice given was highly practical, I could start implementing changes right away."

"Lots of actionable steps I can take to improve how my team works virtually."

"I appreciated the focus on real-world strategies, not just theory."

Provides a great starting point for remote management.

"This course gave me a solid foundation for hiring and managing my first remote team."

"Excellent introduction to the concepts of virtual team management."

"As someone new to remote work, I found this course provided a really strong base of knowledge."

More experienced managers might find it too introductory.

"For someone already managing remote teams for years, parts felt a bit too basic..."

"Good for beginners, but lacked the depth I was hoping for on complex issues."

"If you're an experienced remote manager, you might find this course covers familiar ground."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in How to Hire & Manage Virtual Teams with these activities:

Read 'Remote: Office Not Required'

Show steps

Gain a foundational understanding of remote work benefits and challenges.

View Remote on Amazon

Show steps

Obtain a copy of 'Remote: Office Not Required'.
Read the book, taking notes on key concepts.
Reflect on how the concepts apply to your situation.

Follow Tutorials on Project Management Software

Show steps

Develop practical skills in using project management software commonly used by virtual teams.

Browse courses on Project Management Software

Show steps

Choose a project management software platform.
Find online tutorials for the chosen platform.
Follow the tutorials to learn key features.
Practice creating and managing a sample project.

Compile a List of Remote Work Tools

Show steps

Familiarize yourself with the landscape of available tools for remote collaboration and project management.

Show steps

Research different categories of remote work tools.
Evaluate tools based on features, pricing, and reviews.
Create a spreadsheet or document listing the tools.
Categorize the tools by function.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Create a Presentation on Virtual Team Communication

Show steps

Reinforce your understanding of effective communication strategies for virtual teams.

Show steps

Research best practices for virtual team communication.
Outline the key topics for your presentation.
Create visually appealing slides with concise content.
Practice your presentation delivery.

Develop a Remote Work Policy Draft

Show steps

Apply the course concepts by drafting a remote work policy for a hypothetical or real organization.

Show steps

Define the scope and objectives of the policy.
Research existing remote work policies.
Draft sections on eligibility, equipment, and communication.
Include sections on performance evaluation and security.
Review and revise the draft policy.

Review 'The Year Without Pants'

Show steps

Gain insights into building a strong virtual culture from a real-world example.

View The Year without Pants: WordPress.com and the... on Amazon

Show steps

Obtain a copy of 'The Year Without Pants'.
Read the book, focusing on cultural aspects.
Identify key takeaways for building a virtual culture.

Participate in Peer Review of Remote Work Policies

Show steps

Gain feedback on your remote work policy draft and provide constructive criticism to others.

Show steps

Connect with other students from the course.
Share your remote work policy draft with peers.
Provide feedback on other students' drafts.
Incorporate feedback into your own policy.

Career center

Learners who complete How to Hire & Manage Virtual Teams will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Team Lead

The role of a Team Lead involves guiding a group of individuals to achieve project goals, and given that remote work is a growing trend, this course on managing virtual teams is extremely useful. The course covers vital areas such as assembling a remote team, fostering communication, and establishing a virtual culture, which are all highly relevant to a Team Lead. Learning how to choose the right tools for remote collaboration and how to assess performance, as is taught by the course, empowers a Team Lead to be more effective. This course teaches specific techniques that are instrumental to success in this role, which make it an asset for aspiring Team Leads.

See salaries and explore the career path for Team Lead

Project Manager

Project Managers are responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects effectively, and as remote work gains popularity, the need to manage virtual teams grows as well. This course helps a Project Manager, as it covers essential skills like setting up a remote team, selecting tools, and setting policies. It also helps improve communication and collaboration skills. The training on establishing a virtual work culture, as well as managing remote performance, will help any Project Manager deliver results. The skills taught in this course make it a strong addition to a Project Manager's toolkit.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Human Resources Manager

A Human Resources Manager is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the employee lifecycle, and this course directly addresses one of the most important emerging trends in that field: remote work. This role involves recruiting, onboarding, and managing employees, and this course provides a framework for doing so within a virtual environment. This course helps develop skills in hiring remote teams, selecting appropriate tools, and establishing policies, all of which are vital to a Human Resources Manager. The course's focus on creating a virtual culture and evaluating remote performance is of particular relevance. Anyone seeking to excel as a Human Resources Manager, who wants to lead their teams in the future of work, should take this course.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Manager

Operations Manager

An Operations Manager optimizes business processes and workflows, and this course in managing virtual teams is essential for any Operations Manager overseeing a remote or hybrid workforce. This role involves many aspects of team management, such as setting structure, improving productivity, and this course provides practical advice on how to do this remotely. The course covers hiring, onboarding, communication, and virtual team culture, all of which are crucial to the work of an Operations Manager. The course's focus on selecting the right tools and setting policies makes it especially useful to any Operations Manager.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Manager

Recruiter

A Recruiter sources, interviews, and hires employees for an organization, and in today's environment, they are likely to encounter remote roles, which makes this course very relevant. The course provides a framework for hiring remote workers, which includes sourcing, interviewing, and onboarding. Recruiters need to know the best tools for managing remote teams and how the virtual environment may impact hiring. This course helps a Recruiter understand how to identify and attract top remote talent, all the while establishing policies that will affect hiring. This course offers insight into the specific challenges and opportunities associated with remote hiring.

See salaries and explore the career path for Recruiter

Training and Development Specialist

Training and Development Specialist are responsible for creating and implementing training programs to help employees perform better in their jobs, and this course on managing virtual teams provides insight into how to train and support remote employees. Training remote teams requires specific approaches, and the course covers topics like communication, team culture, and evaluation, which are crucial for a Training and Development Specialist. The course helps this specialist understand the unique challenges and opportunities associated with remote work. The focus on virtual team dynamics and remote best practices makes this course very helpful for Training and Development Specialists.

See salaries and explore the career path for Training and Development Specialist

Change Management Consultant

A Change Management Consultant helps organizations navigate change, and in today's world, transitioning to or managing remote workforces is a major shift, making this course very useful. This role involves implementing strategies to help employees navigate change and adopt new practices, and a course on virtual teams can help this consultant guide organizations to operate in the virtual sphere. This course covers topics like communication, virtual culture, and managing remote teams, all of which are very important to this field. By providing insights into the challenges and opportunities of remote work, this course helps a Change Management Consultant to implement changes effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Change Management Consultant

Business Consultant

A Business Consultant advises organizations on strategies to improve performance and growth, and this course on virtual teams is highly useful as more companies adopt remote work models. This role involves assessing business needs, identifying opportunities for improvement, and implementing solutions, all of which have a virtual dimension for many businesses. This course is helpful for this consultant as it teaches how to manage remote teams, establish virtual cultures, and select appropriate tools, which can help improve operational efficiency for a business. Understanding how to manage virtual teams is very important for a Business Consultant, which makes this course extremely relevant for them.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Consultant

Program Manager

Program Managers oversee multiple related projects and this course on managing virtual teams is useful for those Program Managers who oversee remote or hybrid teams. This role involves coordinating various project components, and this course will help with the skills needed to do this virtually. The course covers various topics including team assembly, communication, virtual culture, and performance reviews, which are vital for a Program Manager supporting remote teams. The course's focus on virtual management strategies may be useful for Program Managers, especially those working in a distributed environment.

See salaries and explore the career path for Program Manager

Virtual Assistant

A Virtual Assistant provides administrative, technical, or creative assistance to clients, and this course on managing virtual teams can help them understand the broader context of remote work. A Virtual Assistant plays a vital role for virtual teams and helps manage projects, communication, and coordination for clients, which are topics covered by the course. By taking this course, a Virtual Assistant can understand how teams are structured, how they collaborate, and how they can excel in a virtual environment. The course also addresses selecting the right tools and communication habits, which directly impacts the work of Virtual Assistants. This course may also assist the Virtual Assistant in developing their own business.

See salaries and explore the career path for Virtual Assistant

Technical Support Specialist

A Technical Support Specialist assists users with technology-related issues, and this course on virtual teams helps them better understand how remote collaboration works. These specialists help remote workers with the required tools, and the course covers topics like selecting the best tools for a remote team, which makes it helpful for this role. The course also provides guidance on communication, and on virtual team culture, which are also useful in a supportive role. They can use this knowledge to better assist and serve remote employees, making their technical support more efficient and effective. Anyone in this role may find this course to be of value.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Support Specialist

Online Community Manager

An Online Community Manager fosters engagement and collaboration within online groups, and this course on managing virtual teams may help them build a more robust community. These managers are responsible for creating a positive online environment, and this course covers several aspects that could be relevant to building community, such as communication, culture, and engagement. By understanding the dynamics of a virtual team, an online community manager may be better able to cultivate a strong online community. This course may help an Online Community Manager better understand their community.

See salaries and explore the career path for Online Community Manager

Instructional Designer

Instructional Designers create learning materials and training programs, and this course may help them design more effective remote learning experiences. This role involves designing engaging and effective learning experiences, and the course provides insights into how to manage and engage remote teams. An Instructional Designer who understands the needs of remote teams may be better able to create training content that resonates in the virtual environment. The course may prove to be a useful example to an Instructional Designer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Instructional Designer

Customer Success Manager

Customer Success Manager help ensure that customers get value from the products and services they purchase, and because these days many of these communications occur remotely, this course may be useful. This role involves communicating and collaborating with customers, and many Customer Success Managers do so remotely. The course covers best practices for communicating and collaborating online, which may enhance a Customer Success Manager's performance. The section of the course that deals with tools may also be useful to help this manager perform their duties. This course may be applicable to a Customer Success Manager.

See salaries and explore the career path for Customer Success Manager

Marketing Manager

A Marketing Manager oversees marketing campaigns and strategies, and this course on managing virtual teams may help them if they have remote team members. This role involves coordinating various marketing efforts and managing the team that does the work, and it is increasingly likely that team members will be working remotely. The course covers topics like team communication, virtual culture, and tool selection which could be useful for a Marketing Manager. The course may provide insights into managing remote teams effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in How to Hire & Manage Virtual Teams.

Remote

Save

Provides a foundational understanding of the benefits and challenges of remote work. It challenges conventional thinking about office environments and offers practical advice on building a successful remote team. Reading this book before the course will provide valuable context and prepare you for the strategies discussed in the course. It is commonly referenced by companies transitioning to remote work.

The Year Without Pants

Save

Offers an inside look at Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, and their fully distributed work model. It provides valuable insights into building a strong virtual culture and managing a large remote team. This book is more valuable as additional reading to understand the nuances of remote work culture. It is often cited as a case study for successful remote organizations.

The Year without Pants: WordPress.com and the...

Hardcover

How to Hire & Manage Virtual Teams

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Save this course

Reviews summary

Practical guide to managing virtual teams

Activities

Career center

Reading list

Share

Similar courses