What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Virtual Teams?

Virtual teams are a good of individuals that collaborate for a certain period of time to achieve a particular set goal. Peterson & Stohr identifies virtual teams as a “group of individuals who work across time, space and organizational boundaries with links strengthened by webs of communication technology. They have complementary skills and are committed to a common purpose, have interdependent performance goals, and share an approach to work for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.” Project management becomes challenging to transmit clear defined information to the team members and in this situation is test project management to be able to orientate to delivering the proper resolution. As virtual teams become a high demand, there

According to MSG, 2016, just like any other new trend, virtual team also has to go through strict scrutiny of researchers to weigh its advantages and disadvantages before being accepted by the professionals.

Virtual teams are growing in high demand because of these positive aspects: cost savings: this creates affordability for the virtual teams. The organizations are able to reduce the cost of property expenses, office space rentals and travel. Many organizations outsource their operations to lower production cost also decreases with the reduced raw material cost, operational costs and lower wages of the employees in these geographic locations. Another being, new opportunities: as many opportunities arise from these growing virtual efforts. These opportunities are created for people who are less mobile and are not able to relocate due to several reason whether it be family requirements or physical challenges. It also, gives many others who cannot physically be present in person but can still support the organization

Some challenges lay behind: conflicts, lack of trust and collaboration surrounding cultural differences between the team members. The main challenge of this area is the absence of non-verbal communication between all parties so the basic fundamentals are now lost and the missed face-to-face interactions cannot be perceived. Another being, social isolation: a number of members are affected by the lack of physical interactions with other members. Working in a non-traditional work environment stirs the productivity of the tasks assigned because there are no interactions, thus you are unable to get to know your colleagues, or create those friendships you normally would within a traditional workplace.

Necessary Skills In order to enhance a virtual team during a project you must know to effectively communicate. Being a leader of a virtual team the communication skill is extremely different, in a way its less influential. In a non-traditional workplace leaders speak volumes through their voice and body while present while virtual leaders are normally just sitting behind a computer monitor and the interpersonal or edge in a way is now lost. The skill of being able to enhance that skill is impertinent to have established.