Upon browsing the internet, the general consensus is that virtual companies who use technology to link up with staff yield an increase in productivity from 8% to 15%. Add to this a workforce who are proficient in home working and you have a recipe for success. But how do you choose those workers who will thrive in a home working environment?

There are several key characteristics to look for when recruiting staff and many which can be learned by the right people. This may have nothing to do with their social skills, it is more to do with the way that they use their emotional energy. When you can recognise this, you will know the difference between someone who is introvert and someone who is extrovert.

Introverts tend to charge their emotional energy when they are solitary. They feel relaxed within the familiar surroundings of their home and may work as writers, observers, entrepreneurs or scientists. They often get a bad rap but are actually the perfect candidates for home working as they perform better in the privacy of their own homes. They are also quite thoughtful people who are not quick to react to anything which may appear hostile.

Extroverts are more at home in a social environment, they love having people around them and are more likely to be involved in in anything connected to entertainment, people activities and public speeches. They make great managers, artists and organisers and turbo charge their energy when surrounded by people. These people have an overflowing amount of confidence and great communication skills. This makes it easy for them to make sales calls and convince people to see things their way.

An extrovert would excel in a home working role if he had a very active social life to compensate for the lack of social interaction which keeps him emotionally stimulated. On the other hand, an introvert would never run out of mental steam as such a person works well alone and actually thrives in an isolated environment. With appropriate targets, monitoring and telephone or virtual meetings, both introverts and extroverts can thrive in a home working environment.

A few choice words. One of the problems associated with home working is the ability to communicate effectively. With the lack of face to face conversation, virtual workers may miss out on physical and verbal cues. As a compromise, they have to elevate their personality and use effective communication to make themselves easily understood via tools such as teleconferencing, telephone or email. Training in effective communication skills and updating relevant software skills can help manage the transition from office work to home working.

Seeing the end result. Virtual employees need excellent problem solving skills. Employers need reassurance that the people they employ will be able to cope with problems as they happen and use their initiative to generate solutions independently. Alternatively, they should also know the who and when to ask for assistance. Ensure you have set up appropriate processes so that you and your team know who to contact for support and report on successes.

For current employees who could do with an extra surge of empowerment to commit them to your company, you could make it an aim to share information on how the company is reaching its goals. You could also suggest that your virtual team meet up once a month to discuss innovative ways to make home working more efficient and productive.

It's in the net. Home workers should show they can achieve goals without making excuses for things that go wrong. Sift the wheat from the chaff, by asking for examples of when candidates have delivered results, stayed focused and achieved the unachievable. This can be further backed up by asking for clarification from their references.

Technophobic. Working from home demands knowledge of technology. Workers should know their way around a laptop and printer to say the least. Ensure that they have appropriate software training, and you have IT support available for staff working from home, and that you provide the IT equipment they require to do their work.

Boost their confidence. When staff are working alone it is easy for them to become insecure and doubt their ability to achieve results. The mind can play tricks and ask questions such as "Was my report presentable enough to actually submit?" "Why hasn't my boss responded with more constructive feedback?" You can reduce these feelings by encouraging them to give you a call or setting a regular time that you will call them. Feedback and updates will will help you both stay focused.

When looking for new employees, select those who feel confident in their own abilities. Those who are proud of their past successes are positive indicators of how they will react to future challenges.

With this simple guideline, you should be able to select the best home workers for your company and improve the skills of those already employed by you to make your virtual team a united front that can weather any storm and stay ahead of the game.