Virtual management
Encyclopedia
Virtual management
, brought about by the rise of the Internet
, globalization
, outsourcing
, telecommuting
, and virtual team
s, is management of frequently widely dispersed groups and individuals with rarely, if ever, meeting them face to face.
Due to developments in information technology within the workplace, along with a need to compete globally and address competitive demands, organisations have embraced virtual management structures . Virtual teams are typically composed of team members who are not located face-to-face and their communication is mediated through information and communication technologies (e.g. video conferencing, email and intranets). Virtual teams represent an important emerging organisational structure which facilitates collaboration between team members located almost anywhere in the world. It is estimated that 41 million corporate employees globally will spend at least one day a week as a virtual worker and 100 million will work from home at least one day a month .
The implementation of a virtual team structure has been shown to produce many benefits including reduced real estate expenses, increased productivity, access to global markets and environmental benefits due to a reduction in airline flights . Virtual teams are also becoming increasingly popular with workers who want to work at home, which can increase employee engagement
. Furthermore, as a result of using appropriate communication media, a virtual team is not limited to members from the same physical location or organisation. As such, team members can be assembled according to the skills and backgrounds required, from anywhere in the world, enabling the organisation to become more flexible and to compete globally.
As with face-to-face teams, management of virtual teams is a crucial component in the effectiveness of the team. However, compared to leaders of face-to-face teams, virtual team leaders face the following difficulties: (a) logistical problems, including coordinating work across different time zones and physical distances; (b) interpersonal issues, including an ability to establish effective working relationships in the absence of frequent face-to-face communication; and (c) technological difficulties, including appropriate technology and ease-of-use . In global virtual teams, there is the added dimension of cultural differences which impact on a virtual team’s functioning.
Develop Follower Trust:
There are numerous features of a virtual team environment that may impact on the development of follower trust and the team members have to trust that the leader is allocating work fairly and evaluating team members equally.
Establish Role Clarity:
Virtual team leaders need to spend more time than conventional team counterparts being explicit about expectations, because the patterns of behaviour and dynamics of interaction are unfamiliar. Moreover, even in information rich virtual teams using video conferencing, it is hard to replicate the rapid exchange of information and cues available in face-to-face discussions. In order to develop role clarity within virtual teams, leaders should focus on developing: (a) clear objectives and goals for tasks; (b) comprehensive milestones for deliverables; and (c) communication channels for seeking feedback on unclear role guidance.
Be aware of Information Overload:
While technology choice is important for the development of role clarity, virtual team leaders should be aware that information overload may result in situations when a leader has provided too much information to a team member.
Become a “Present” Leader:
Virtual team leaders need to become virtually “present” in order to closely monitor team members and notice any changes that might affect their ability to undertake their tasks. Due to the distributed nature of virtual teams, team members have less awareness of the wider situation of the team or dynamics of the overall team environment. Consequently, as situations change in a virtual team environment, such as adjustments to task requirements, modification of milestones, or changes to the goals of the team, it is important that leaders monitor followers to ensure they are aware of these changes and make amendments as required.
Not all teams are the same:
Finally, when examining virtual teams, it is crucial to consider that they differ in terms of their virtuality. Virtuality refers to a continuum of how “virtual” a team is There are three predominant factors that contribute to virtuality, namely: (a) the richness of communication media; (b) distance between team members, both in time zones and geographical dispersion; and (c) organisational and cultural diversity.
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
, brought about by the rise of the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, globalization
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
, outsourcing
Outsourcing
Outsourcing is the process of contracting a business function to someone else.-Overview:The term outsourcing is used inconsistently but usually involves the contracting out of a business function - commonly one previously performed in-house - to an external provider...
, telecommuting
Telecommuting
Telecommuting or telework is a work arrangement in which employees enjoy flexibility in working location and hours. In other words, the daily commute to a central place of work is replaced by telecommunication links...
, and virtual team
Virtual team
A virtual team is a group of individuals who work across time, space and organizational boundaries with links strengthened by webs of communication technology...
s, is management of frequently widely dispersed groups and individuals with rarely, if ever, meeting them face to face.
Due to developments in information technology within the workplace, along with a need to compete globally and address competitive demands, organisations have embraced virtual management structures . Virtual teams are typically composed of team members who are not located face-to-face and their communication is mediated through information and communication technologies (e.g. video conferencing, email and intranets). Virtual teams represent an important emerging organisational structure which facilitates collaboration between team members located almost anywhere in the world. It is estimated that 41 million corporate employees globally will spend at least one day a week as a virtual worker and 100 million will work from home at least one day a month .
The implementation of a virtual team structure has been shown to produce many benefits including reduced real estate expenses, increased productivity, access to global markets and environmental benefits due to a reduction in airline flights . Virtual teams are also becoming increasingly popular with workers who want to work at home, which can increase employee engagement
Employee engagement
Employee engagement, also called worker engagement, is a business management concept. An "engaged employee" is one who is fully involved in, and enthusiastic about their work, and thus will act in a way that furthers their organization's interests...
. Furthermore, as a result of using appropriate communication media, a virtual team is not limited to members from the same physical location or organisation. As such, team members can be assembled according to the skills and backgrounds required, from anywhere in the world, enabling the organisation to become more flexible and to compete globally.
As with face-to-face teams, management of virtual teams is a crucial component in the effectiveness of the team. However, compared to leaders of face-to-face teams, virtual team leaders face the following difficulties: (a) logistical problems, including coordinating work across different time zones and physical distances; (b) interpersonal issues, including an ability to establish effective working relationships in the absence of frequent face-to-face communication; and (c) technological difficulties, including appropriate technology and ease-of-use . In global virtual teams, there is the added dimension of cultural differences which impact on a virtual team’s functioning.
What factors contribute to effective management of virtual teams?
An extensive PhD study conducted over 8 years examined what factors increase leader effectiveness in virtual teams. This study identified 5 factors which are essential for effective leadership of virtual teams:Develop Follower Trust:
There are numerous features of a virtual team environment that may impact on the development of follower trust and the team members have to trust that the leader is allocating work fairly and evaluating team members equally.
Establish Role Clarity:
Virtual team leaders need to spend more time than conventional team counterparts being explicit about expectations, because the patterns of behaviour and dynamics of interaction are unfamiliar. Moreover, even in information rich virtual teams using video conferencing, it is hard to replicate the rapid exchange of information and cues available in face-to-face discussions. In order to develop role clarity within virtual teams, leaders should focus on developing: (a) clear objectives and goals for tasks; (b) comprehensive milestones for deliverables; and (c) communication channels for seeking feedback on unclear role guidance.
Be aware of Information Overload:
While technology choice is important for the development of role clarity, virtual team leaders should be aware that information overload may result in situations when a leader has provided too much information to a team member.
Become a “Present” Leader:
Virtual team leaders need to become virtually “present” in order to closely monitor team members and notice any changes that might affect their ability to undertake their tasks. Due to the distributed nature of virtual teams, team members have less awareness of the wider situation of the team or dynamics of the overall team environment. Consequently, as situations change in a virtual team environment, such as adjustments to task requirements, modification of milestones, or changes to the goals of the team, it is important that leaders monitor followers to ensure they are aware of these changes and make amendments as required.
Not all teams are the same:
Finally, when examining virtual teams, it is crucial to consider that they differ in terms of their virtuality. Virtuality refers to a continuum of how “virtual” a team is There are three predominant factors that contribute to virtuality, namely: (a) the richness of communication media; (b) distance between team members, both in time zones and geographical dispersion; and (c) organisational and cultural diversity.
External Links
- Managing the virtual realm, by Denise Dubie, Network World
- Virtual Management Hype
- Virtual Teams Blog
- Key themes for effective virtual team leaders
- Dr Alister Jury's research into Leadership Effectiveness within Virtual Teams (University of Queensland)