Give virtual employees real rewards.

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Okay, so you've got a great team of virtual employees that work remotely or from home. They like the freedom and independence of working off-site, and you like the lack of overhead. The question is how do you keep them focused and motivated when you may not see them for days, weeks or at all?

Here's how:

Build trust.

Trust is the starting point in almost any good relationship. As a manager, you have to believe that your virtual workers can perform their jobs properly with little or no supervision. Your workers need to know clearly what's expected of them and that you believe in their ability to deliver on those goals.

Have a virtual open door.

Strong, trusting relationships spring from honest and regular communication. Create a virtual open door policy. Keep in touch on a consistent basis through email updates, regularly scheduled status meetings or conference calls. Encourage genuine feedback and input.

Show your appreciation to the world.

Regularly praise your virtual workers for their accomplishments and make sure their other team members know as well. Phone calls, emails, posting a note on the company Facebook wall, or tweeting are all good ways to help workers feel recognized and appreciated in their community.

Motivate through involvement.

Involve your team in determining their performance rewards. Create a simple survey and ask what motivates them. Typical rewards like a corner office don't matter when you're working from home. However, things such as the latest smart phone or a faster computer probably do. Perhaps they'd like to take seminars to learn new skills or want rewards linked to a hobby or personal interest. Find out.

Connection is also its own reward.

Making your employees feel connected to a greater community can be a reward in its own right. When people know they're being kept in the loop and are up on what's happening, they feel more like part of your company.

In a virtual environment, the biggest hurdle is recognition and reward. To keep your virtual team productive and satisfied, remember they're still real people and real rewards work.