There has never been a better time to consider an offshore team. In today’s global business climate, it is beneficial to have them as an extension of your local workforce. The work an offshore team produces is comparable to local labour but with reduced costs.
This certainly seems like a good fit for any business. However, in order for this to happen, you need to first know how to effectively work with an offshore team. Simply absorbing a team to your local office is not enough. With geographical barriers and other issues present, there can some challenges that arise which may result in some pushback. Thanks to current technologies however, many of these challenges can be met head on.
We’ve talked before about what goes into absorbing an offshore team to be part of your local workforce. One of the most important things to remember is that it does not happen overnight and requires your full responsibility. There are a few reasons for this, all of which will aid in effectively collaborating with your team.
Developing Workplace Culture
Developing an active workplace culture with an offshore team sounds peculiar when you first think about it. With two teams working in different countries, it might not seem possible as you will rarely be in the same room together.
Consider what it means to have a thriving workplace. It means productivity is at high levels with everyone firing on all cylinders. When you talk about workplace culture, many things can spring to mind. How people go about their day, how they approach their daily tasks and how well they work with others.
These are elements that can be developed with your offshore team. By being more involved with their responsibilities, you develop closer ties to them.
With a personable team, you will be able to find that right balance of work. Remember that an offshore team is not just a “team” that’s in another country. They are an extension of your workforce and should be treated as such. Doing so makes them part of your entire office family, which can be highly motivating for them.
The Tools At Your Disposal
Companies working with offshore teams understand the importance of communication. Years ago, only established companies had the means to work with people overseas due to long distance calls. Back then, the idea of working from anywhere in the world was but a fantasy.
Today, thanks to tools like Skype and instant messaging, just about anyone in the world can be reached at any time. This has also allowed medium sized businesses the capacity to work with an offshore team. They are able to communicate their objectives and tasks on a regular basis as they stay constantly connected with their teams.
It’s not just communication tools that companies are taking advantage of. The rise of project management websites like Trello and Slack make it easier to collaborate with an offshore team. Together with cloud storage technologies, collaboration with teams has never been easier.
Finding the right Offshore Team
An offshoring strategy is a major business decision. By understanding what’s required for it, you will be able to properly and effectively work with the team that you will create. In order to do so, you must consider your offshore team as important as your local workforce. With constant collaboration and communication, you can shape them to become long term and valuable assets to your business.
Ready to recruit the right offshore team for the job? Drop us a line today.
