| As a business owner you are comfortable with | | | | effort," Robyn continues. Of course, working on |
| the daily routine of your office. You know the | | | | the relationship is part of the outsource staff |
| intricacies of your workplace and are comfortable | | | | member's responsibility as well. |
| with the workflow. You can see the friendly faces | | | | Good communication is essential to forming an |
| of your employees in every cubicle or behind | | | | effective working relationship, no matter where |
| each desk. Your business has a rhythm and when | | | | your employee is working. Establishing a good |
| you achieve that rhythm, everything seems to go | | | | working relationship with your outsource staff is |
| so well. | | | | just as important as the relationships you have |
| What happens when you decide to use the | | | | with your in-house employees. |
| services of virtual staff? How does that impact | | | | Next, Robyn encourages other business owners |
| your traditional office? What adjustments will you | | | | to establish a schedule or routine with their |
| need to make? These are good questions and the | | | | outsource staff. Since these offsite staff do not |
| answers can help you easily navigate the | | | | necessarily have set hours, the employer and |
| transition. | | | | virtual workers need to agree upon what is |
| Robyn is the president of an online publishing | | | | expected in regards to a work schedule and the |
| software company and found herself faced with | | | | duties to be performed. Having a pre-determined |
| these same questions. She transitioned from | | | | list of expectations can prevent any confusion in |
| working at a newspaper to operating the | | | | the future and keep the lines of communication |
| software company. Robyn was used to the daily | | | | open. |
| interaction with other employees and discovered | | | | Finally, implement all of the available technologies |
| that there are some adjustments to working in | | | | to keep the work flowing between employer and |
| the virtual world. Robyn shares three helpful tips | | | | outsource staff. According to Robyn, the more |
| when making this addition to your company. | | | | you make use of things like instant messaging, |
| First, "An employer must be intentional about | | | | teleconferencing , faxing and emailing, the easier |
| creating a bond with a virtual employee," Robyn | | | | the communication will be. "Don't limit yourself to |
| states. "When you are in a traditional work | | | | one method of keeping in touch. Be sure your |
| environment, that interaction comes naturally, but | | | | offsite employee has all of the software that is |
| when you deal with someone that you may | | | | needed to complete the work you have |
| never actually meet, building that relationship and | | | | assigned," emphasizes Robyn. |
| establishing a bond of trust takes a little more | | | | |