As a business owner, you are comfortable with the daily routine of your office. He knows the intricacies of his workplace and is comfortable with the workflow. He can see the friendly faces of his employees in every cubicle or behind every desk. Your business has a rhythm and when you hit that rhythm, everything seems to be going great.

What happens when you decide to use the services of virtual staff? How does that impact your traditional office? What adjustments will you need to make? These are good questions, and the answers can help you easily navigate the transition.

Robyn is the president of an online publishing software company and faced the same questions. She went from working at a newspaper to running the software company. Robyn was used to daily interaction with other employees, and she found that there are some adjustments to working in the virtual world. Robyn shares three helpful tips when making this addition to her company.

First,”An employer must intend to create a bond with a virtual employee,Robyn says. “When you’re in a traditional work environment, that interaction comes naturally, but when you’re dealing with someone you may never get to meet, building that relationship and establishing a bond of trust takes a little more effort.” Robyn continues, Of course, working on the relationship is also part of the outsourced staff member’s responsibility.

Good communication is essential to building an effective working relationship, no matter where your employee works. Establishing a good working relationship with your outsourced staff is just as important as the relationships you have with your internal employees.

Robyn then encourages other business owners to establish a schedule or routine with their outsourced staff. Since these external personnel do not necessarily have a set schedule, the employer and the virtual workers must agree on what is expected regarding a work schedule and the functions to be performed. Having a predetermined list of expectations can prevent confusion down the road and keep the lines of communication open.

Finally, implement all available technologies to maintain the workflow between the employer and the subcontracted staff. According to Robyn, the more you use things like instant messaging, teleconferencing, faxing, and email, the easier communication will be. “Don’t limit yourself to one method of staying in touch. Make sure your external employee has all the necessary software to complete the job you’ve assigned them,” Robyn emphasizes.