Managing Virtual Teams

Elena Stefanopol

What is a virtual team?

• "group of people who work independently with shared purpose across space, time, and organization boundaries, using technology to communicate and collaborate."

- according to  a study published by the Academy of Management Executive

Types of virtual teams 1Networked teams -  generally geographically dispersed and may have

members from outside the organization, composed of cross-functional members who are brought together to share their expertise and knowledge on a specific issue or topic.

Parallel Teams -  are generally formed by members of the same organization. While delivering on their primary assigned role in the organization, they take added parallel responsibility

Project/Product-Development Team - subject matter experts brought together from different parts of the globe to perform a clearly outlined task 

Work , Production or Functional Teams -  when members of one role come together to perform single type of ongoing day-to-day work, clear defined roles, independent work.

Types of virtual teams 1

Service Teams – 24/7 model made possible thanks to different time zones

Management Teams – in multinational organisations, strategic purpose

Action Teams – short duration of time, provide immediate response to a problem

Offshore Teams - outsourcing

Types of virtual teams 2

ExampleHeterogeneous Culture

Homogeneous Culture

Service Team 1 4

Global Project Team 2 5

Local Sales Team/

Consulting Firm3 6

Why have virtual teams?

• Best employees may be located anywhere in the world

• Employees demand personal flexibility

• A flexible organization is more competitive and responsive to the marketplace

• Employees tend to be more productive – less commuting and travel time

• The increasing globalization of trade and corporate activity

• The global workday is 24 vs. 8 hours

• A continued shift from production to service/knowledge work environments

• Reduced costs (outsourcing or less travel expenses)

• Global know-how (access to different cultures, values, systems)

Challenges

• Effective Communication

• Accountability

• Ability to work independently

• Cultural Differences

• Lack of Human Interaction

How can we overcome them?

1. Expectations Setting – time availability, desired outcome, behaviours, back up plans, means of communication

2. Team Building – personality tests, identify shared values, interests, connect on social media, create a space where the team can communicate informally (Facebook, Whatsapp, etc)

3. Trust & Open Communication/ Transparency – create a positive space where team members feel confident to

share and ask for help

4. Follow up – especially made by the team leader but also encourage all team members to do the same and increase accountability

5. Technology – use co-working platforms such as Trello or Asana for a clear overview of tasks and progress.

Your turn to share

1. Have ever managed/worked in a virtual team?

2. What were the challenges?

3. How did you overcome them?

Thank you!Elena.Stefanopol@gmail.com