I came across a local magazine article titled “How newcomers are making this a new town.”

Since moving to Charlotte in 2004, I have wholeheartedly enjoyed the charm, warmth, and simplicity that characterizes the New South. However, I often hear transplant recipients complain about the “slow pace” of southern life.

For what it’s worth, it seems pretty ridiculous (at least to me) to move somewhere and want the new place to be like the old place you came from. But I digress. Point is: Newcomers are changing the landscape of what Charlotte used to be.

The article got me thinking about the dynamics of adding new members to virtual teams. Whether your remote work team consists of a few service providers who only have you (the customer) in common, a group of geographically dispersed help desk or call center representatives, or a few IT professionals. Carefully selected IT striving to implement a new technology project, growth can certainly shake things up.

Building and managing a successful remote team requires a certain combination of skill and sheer luck in the first place. Once you’ve gotten the right people “on the bus” and the wrong people “off the bus,” the last thing you want is a dead engine.

But, the fundamental nature of TEAM (particularly in a virtual environment) means embracing both individual and collective contributions, styles and work habits. So how do you encourage feedback and nurture creativity in newer team members while preserving your team’s carefully crafted culture?

Three key factors have helped our remote team embrace new ideas, but they reinforce longstanding, trusted practices THAT WORK as we welcome new team members.

1. Allow time to bond

It is critical that newcomers embrace the team’s people, values, and processes. Hell, that’s what a culture is! In a virtual environment where members work independently, shared goals alone are never enough to create a sense of community. We learn to be “for” (or “against”) each other through communication and shared experiences.

First, lead by example. Be authentic in your interaction. Don’t be afraid to let others see who you are in business and personal settings. Then work to create opportunities within your remote team to share in less formal settings. You can set up a shared interface, like a bulletin board or forum, or encourage team members to take “virtual coffee breaks,” for example.

2. Clearly define roles/objectives

Why does your remote team exist? It could be to achieve a particular project or for the overall success of your department or business. Just know that the answer to this basic question can help you define and clarify the roles and goals of the group that serve the overall purpose of the team.

Also remember to involve the entire team in setting expectations for behavior and performance. Don’t have a formal team? Invite your suppliers to a teleconference to establish “rules” for working together.

Once you’ve defined roles and goals, be meticulous in communicating expectations. Assume nothing. Write everything in black and white, but know that sending an email is not enough! New members of our team participate in a 3-hour training and orientation on their first day. They are debriefed last and then exposed to regular reinforcement of the company’s values, practices and goals in regular team calls.

3. Encourage 360° communication

Virtual relationships lack certain non-verbal communication opportunities that we often take for granted in a traditional office. As a result, we have to expand our communication by a factor of 3, 4, or even 5, in a remote work environment.

If team members feel empowered to share their understanding of the team culture, they are more likely to speak up when an idea or action threatens that common theme. Teach each person on your virtual team to be a good communicator with you, team members, customers, and vendors. Then teach your customers and vendors that communication is two-way.

Remote work teams have quickly become the rule rather than the exception among businesses and organizations around the world. Navigating team structure changes can bring unknown challenges. Ultimately, virtual teams need the same things that all teams need: people who respect and value each other, clearly defined roles, and open communication at various levels.