Whether you’re a virtual company or have contractors working for you in different places, it’s important to make sure that your virtual workforce is as a strong as having them physically in an office everyday.

As the employer, it is up to you to make sure that your virtual workforce is equipped with all the tools that they need to be productive, such as company email addresses, proper equipment, etc. An internal social network is also helpful in managing a virtual workforce. It helps employees stay connected to their peers so that they feel like they’re a part of the team by sharing goals.

In order to build a strong virtual workforce, you need to hire employees that you can trust. When you can’t just pop in their office to see what they’re working on, you have to be able to trust that your employees are staying on task when they say they are. You can use tools such as Skype and instant message to keep in constant touch with them during their set work hours–but can you rely on them to be accountable?

Hire the best and be sure that your employees can handle working remotely. Working from home is not something that everyone is cut out for — and for some, it may not be the most productive option. When hiring for your virtual workforce, check their references and try to hire someone who has previous virtual experience. Screen carefully to reach the strongest candidates who are self-starters and team players. One weak employee can throw off your entire virtual workforce off-balance.

A strong virtual workforce also has clear communication. Not only is it important for your employee to have easy access to communicate with you but they also have to be able to stay connected with your other employees. Teamwork is still important to a company, even if your employees are located in different parts of the country. Your workforce should be able to use collaboration documents to the fullest capacity to stay on top of each other’s projects.

What are some other characteristics of a successful virtual workforce?