Introverts always get a bad rap in the workforce. People think that introverts are too quiet or too distant for office work. They are stereotyped as shut-ins getting lost in their own world.
According to Myers-Briggs Co., 44% of the world’s population is introverted. If you and your team take a personality test, you’ll probably discover at least one introvert among yourselves. Introverts, unlike extroverts, thrive in being a lone wolf, therefore, remote work, digital workplace tools, and asynchronous workflows suit them well. And now that more businesses are embracing remote work, things are leaning towards the favor of the introverts. The less social interaction, the better the performance of introverts at work as it entails less social anxiety.
But does the same thing apply to Filipino virtual assistants?
Yes, it does. It really is a matter of management.
One of the best qualities of an introverted remote worker is that they are self-starters and independent individuals. Being left alone is never an issue as they are happy to go solo. Nevertheless, this does not mean that they should literally be left alone at all times.
In fact, introverts have their own management needs, and great managers know how to provide them. They are able to help their introverted Filipino virtual assistants take steps to thrive in their role.
They also require a different way of management as they open up slowly. It’s important that managers are always aware of their introverted team members so as to avoid being confrontational, which can be overwhelming for introverts.
Introverts are also honest and insightful, so if you put them in the right environment, they will willingly express themselves and question the viability of other creative ideas. It would help if they try to find out what setting their introverted team members are more comfortable in expressing their ideas.
So how do you manage introverted Filipino virtual assistants?
1. Give them time and space to reflect or prepare themselves.
Allow your introverted team members to prepare themselves for a big meeting or a check-in instead of sending them a message to have a meeting out of the blue. Introverts need time to process things as they have more going on internally compared to extroverts. They have more pent-up emotions and opinions to unpack and organise.
2. Pair up introverts with extroverts.
By pairing introverts with extroverts you get the right balance of social and communication skills and great ideas and a solid plan for implementation. With this pairing, you won’t have a problem with two people trying to be the loudest in the room or find yourself in the midst of an awkward silence while in the same room as them.
3. Respect their space.
Introverts’ personal space is sacred to them as they love their safety bubble. It’s best if you can allow them to keep working from home or in a hybrid setup where they need to stay in the office some days, in a quiet space where they can work. You can still gather in a conference or huddle area when you need to but, when it’s time to disperse and work on individual tasks, introverts should have their own place to go back to.
4. Schedule everything.
Introverts are not anti-social individuals. They just need more time to become more immersed in a conversation with someone or to prepare their emotions to go into a big crowd. This does not mean that they do not like communicating. If you have an introverted staff, it would be better to schedule meetings with them in order to give them time to prepare for them. Do not force them to attend team building activities or company parties as doing so makes them even more anxious. Instead, let them know about the event a month before the actual event takes place, so they can prepare their heart and mind for a possible major interaction.
5. Demonstrate patience.
Managing introverted virtual assistants requires patience. Forcing them to speak or to socialise, especially in front of a lot of people, may be counterproductive. Instead, it would be better to encourage them to come out of their shell. Using the right tone is also important. Be sure to balance the right amount of firmness and empathy.
Virtual assistants are expected to communicate with you and other people in your network, so surely they have anticipated as much interaction with others. However, the rise of remote working and digital workplace tools is such a convenience for introverts as they now have the tools and capability to complete tasks and contribute at a distance. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean managers should completely leave them to their own devices.
Letting them know that they can freely apply themselves and ask for assistance gives enough breathing room for introverted Filipino virtual assistants while not making them feel ignored.
If you are looking for a Filipino virtual assistant or need help with managing an introverted one, reach out to our Remote Staff Lead Account Officers. These experts can provide you with some useful tips for managing your staff better.
