Prior to the pandemic, virtual businesses were on the rise - there was a significant shift from office-based working to remote-based working. More and more business owners were beginning to realize that actually they did not need their team constantly in the office, and that many workers actually worked better from the spaces that they were most comfortable in. 

Then the global pandemic hit, and a high percentage of the world was forced to instantly shift to home-based working. At first it was pandemonium as companies adjusted and workers learned what it took to successfully work remotely. However, once the dust settled, it was clear that remote-based working had a positive impact on many companies and employees. 

While the pandemic rages on, companies across the globe are still having to adjust to running their businesses in a virtual way. There are big changes still ongoing within the business industry, with many companies deciding that they would like to maintain a remote working structure even once the pandemic is over. 

Remote working for businesses can be a fantastic working method, and it can work well as long as it is adapted properly. More and more businesses are choosing to work with employees and freelancers on a global scale as a result of remote working, but there is a lack of information and knowledge about what it takes to successfully build a truly global working model and business. 

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Below is a guide to some of the ins and outs of how companies can make global working teams a success. 

Hold events virtually 

First and foremost, if you’re going to operate your business on a global scale it’s important that you are willing to hold events - and training sessions - virtually. Because by choosing to hold events - both for team members and the public - virtually, you can ensure that everyone has access to the events that your business is holding. 

If you want to offer a combination of in-person and virtual events, you might like to look into hybrid events, which allow you to extend in-person events and allow people on a global scale to join them. There are some fantastic hybrid events companies, like We & Goliath, available to help you to do that, should you want to trial using this event structure. 

Create an inclusive working environment 

If you are going to run your business as a virtual company, it’s important that you think carefully about creating an inclusive and equal working environment. What you don’t want to do is create a culture where employees at your company gain more benefits than people who work remotely. You need to ensure that your company culture and ethos has been designed to be fair. 

Make communication simple 

The key to successful remote working is good communication. If you are going to make communication simple and as easy as possible, then you need to ensure that you take steps to put practices in place that make communication as simple and straightforward as possible for your entire team. 

Utilizing resources like Teams, Zoom, and Slack can be a great way to make team communication easier. Video calls for meetings work exceedingly well, but it’s also important to have access to instant messaging for all team members, as this makes staying in touch simple and quick and is exceedingly useful. Google Hangouts and Slack are great for this as you can create team workspaces that everyone has access to. 

Messaging needs to be secure when dealing with proprietary information. Apps from companies like skyecc, are highly encrypted to protect confidential information. In an age when corporate espionage is normal, high encryption is more important than ever.

Be mindful of time zones

If you have team members working in various countries, it’s important to be aware of the fact that different people will be in different time zones. Instead of making everyone work set hours, consider adapting your hours per time zone, creating a more inclusive working environment. 

Know the best practices for managing remote workers

One of the most important things when running a global virtual business is to understand the best strategies for managing remote teams. You need to be clued up about what it takes to successfully manage a remote team and what steps you need to take as a business owner. You also need to speak to your remote team members and speak to them about what they want from their remote management system. It’s important to have open and honest communication to make managing a remote team effective.

There you have it, a guide to how to build a truly global virtual business. Hopefully, the tips above will help you to manage a truly global business more successfully.