Every coin has two sides. So, where we last time talked about the advantages of Virtual Offices, this time we will look at its flip side. Though the concept of Virtual Office is a cost effective package of conveniences, it has its own set of disadvantages too. The key is to find a way about these disadvantages and to beat them.  Lack of face-to-face communication- If you are operating with a team, then most of the official communications would happen either over telephone or email. In such cases, the absence of face to face communication can increase chances of misunderstanding and reducing trust. Lack of belonging- Since the members of the team operate independently from home, there can be lack of camaraderie and co-ordination. Report taking procedure- With Virtual Office concept, it becomes important for the person heading the company to have a fool-proof report taking system. Since all the members of the team are operating from home, how much work is getting completed is difficult to be tracked. Dependency on technology- Since the entire team is off-site, they are dependent on technology to keep the business running. In such a scenario, the breakdown of net connection, any device like laptop or mobile phone or slow speed of the internet, can hamper the business. Lack of professionalism- Since all the members of the team might be working from there own separate locations, you might face the problem where each member is adopting his or her separate and different style of work and which is going against the image of the company. This also projects lack of professionalism to the clients of the company.   Well, as is said- ‘Every problem has a solution.’ lets now probe into the possible solutions for these handful of problems. Regular meetings- The team can make it a point to have meetings at regular intervals to discuss the finer issues, agenda, the way forward, introduction of a new member…or if all is going smooth on business side, they all can meet just to bond and know each other well. This will also go along way to build a sense of camaraderie and belongingness.   Common software- For smooth flow of office work, make sure that all members of the team are using same software so that there is no problem arising because of different formats, versions or software. The ideal way to work in such a set up is to have a guideline regarding what should be the minimum configuration of a laptop or desktop computer, which software should be there and which version. This should take care of most of the technical problems.   Setting Virtual Office policies- If all the team members are working from different locations telecommuting to your "Virtual Office," you should consider writing some home office guidelines. This will help standardize the capabilities of each worker, ensure compatible workflow throughout your system, and help you manage your employees in cyberspace.   Finally, below we have tried to list down some of the dos and don’ts which might help you to run your Virtual Office team efficiently. Urge workers to set up their home offices in a separate room that will allow for uninterrupted work. Provide or specify (depending on the situation) the minimum computer systems necessary for your workers. Standardize the software programs used so files will be compatible and collaboration on documents will be possible. Keeping track of who is accessing central databases and when may help you manage security, as well as your staff. Put down procedures for submitting time-sheets With the flexibility of working from home offices, you and your employees will find yourselves often working odd hours. Don't let this freedom prevent you from being accessible to other workers or your clients during office hours. Put down procedures for forwarding calls or e-mails when workers must leave the office during business hours This should include e-mail protocols (since we tend to use less formal language in e-mail), traditional correspondence protocols, meeting place protocols, and any others that might come into play in your business.   These guidelines might not need to be formally printed and distributed, but there should be at least some thought put into the standards you want your employees to be aware of and follow. With regular communication and open invitations to employees for suggestions that can bring about improvements your business can not only succeed, it can thrive. Have a Green Day!!!