The expansion of remote collaboration is one of the prominent trends that are shaping the future of project management. How soon will workers be ready to shift to a 100% virtual office? What are the main bottlenecks of collaboration across distances and time zones? In this presentation, Andrew Filev, CEO at Wrike, answers these questions based on the results of a survey with 1,000 respondents and provides efficiency tips for managers of virtual teams. Andrew Filev originally delivered this presentation at PMI Global Congress North America 2012.

1. The future of remote teams:
how to fine-tune virtual collaboration?
a presentation by Andrew Filev, CEO at Wrike

2. Presentation outline
1. Introduction
2. Findings of Wrike’s survey on remote collaboration
 Current state of virtual teams
 Future prospects of remote collaboration
3. How to fine-tune collaboration across distances
 7 efficiency tips for managers of remote teams
4. Closing

3. Wrike’s survey on remote collaboration
Run in December 2011;
Gathered input from 1,074 international respondents:
15%
37% Team members
Managers
15%
Executives
Business owners
33%
(representing companies of various size and industry)

4. Survey findings:
current state of remote collaboration
• 83% work remotely at least an hour or two daily;
• 43% spend more time working remotely than 2-3 years ago:
Team members 36%
Managers 47%
Executives 50%
Business owners 47%

5. Survey findings:
main benefits of remote work
20%
41%
Saving time
Increased productivity
10%
Focus on work, not office policies
Other
29%

6. Survey findings: role of software
• 87% find collaboration tools like
GoToMeeting, Wrike, etc., important or mission
critical for remote teams;
• 57% use social communication tools for work
(Facebook, Twitter, IM, etc.) less than 1h daily.

7. Survey findings: future prospects
of remote collaboration
• Two thirds believe their office will go fully
virtual in the future;
• 25% think this will happen in just 1-2 years;
• Such a rapid shift is predicted by 44% of
business owners.

8. Survey findings: value of remote work
• 89% see telecommuting as an important fringe benefit;
• “Sacrifices” people are ready to accept for it:
78%
54%
31%
25%
Reduction in Reduction in Forgo paid Forgo free
salary vacation cellphone plan meals

9. Survey findings:
challenges of virtual teams
22% 38%
Lack of direct communication
Hindered data accessibility
19% Poor visibility into colleagues' actions
Other
21%

10. Efficiency tip 1: Keep unification and
personalization in balance
Common ground rules in work
organization + individual
approach to every worker (esp.
important for global teams)

11. Efficiency tip 2: Communicate
instead of checking
Constant conversation to keep
every worker engaged makes a
positive impact both operationally
and administratively

12. Efficiency tip 3: Remember the value
of face-to-face interaction
Online and offline team
meetings help to increase
bonding between colleagues

13. Efficiency tip 4: Add praise
and motivation to the mix
Not just verbal
appreciation, but more
extensive recognition
practices as well

14. Efficiency tip 5: Take a granular approach
to workload management
Smaller assignments are
easier to understand, tackle
and monitor

15. Efficiency tip 6: Develop sharing
into a working habit
Data shouldn’t get “siloed” in
people’s personal storage –
sharing is vital for visibility

16. Efficiency tip 7: Focus on creativity
as much as on getting things done
Gather ideas and synergize
through collective intelligence

17. Contact information
Andrew Filev, CEO at Wrike
www.wrike.com/projectmanagement
www.linkedin.com/in/filev
Thank you for your attention!