Virtual Team Challenges

Question: Virtual Team Challenges

• Communications challenges
  • Policies and practices must support the work arrangements
  • Must prepare differently for meetings
  • Slides and other electronic material must be shared beforehand
  • Soft-spoken people are difficult to hear; managers must repeat key messages
  • Frequent communications are helpful (hard to “overcommunicate”)
• Technology challenges
  • Provide technology and support to remote workers
  • Use high quality web conferencing applications
  • Clarify time zones for scheduling
  • Information should be available for everyone (cloud storage can help)
  • Policies and norms about use of the technology can be important
• Diversity challenges
  • Concept of time differs throughout the world
    • Anglo-American cultures view time as a continuum (deadlines are important; many prefer not to multitask)
    • Indian cultures have a cyclical view of time (deadlines are less potent; many prefer to multitask)
  • Team diversity might need nurturing:
    • Communications differences
    • Trust building
    • Group identity formation

Instructions:

• Need minimum 500 words
• Need 3 APA References
• No Plagiarism please