Recently, technology has been tremendously advancing, creating a more globalized and digital world, reducing the world to one community. Technology advancement has been incorporated into various organizations to increase productivity, management and general operations efficiency. However, technological advancements have made organizations change their structural organizations from the conventional hierarchical to even and flexible frameworks to achieve their objectives. Virtual Project Teams, VPT, is among the most significant landmarks of technology, which are momentarily becoming increasingly common in most organizations. The VPT constitutes a group with a shared goal who execute tasks and assignments in a virtual setting with a desire to accomplish the shared goal. These individuals’ virtual networking and connection in different geographic locations are developed and sustained by software and IT technology, which effectively communicates and coordinates the individuals and their work.
Customer satisfaction in the globalized market has been challenging, and leaders have been forced to find competitive advantages through joint ventures, subcontracting and other networking substitutes facilitated by virtual teams. VPT has effectively optimized productivity and significantly contributed to multiple benefits to the organizations, including cost savings. However, organizations have experienced significant and chronic challenges from the VPT. Therefore, it is essential to develop effective leadership strategies that would be efficient in the VPT environment, promoting the VPT’s prosperity. This essay will describe and explore VPT’s challenges and opportunities and give deeper insights and reflections on the leadership strategies that would fit the virtual project setting. In analyzing these issues, the paper is structured in the following way; VPT opportunities, VPT challenges and leadership strategies. The paper will explore crucial questions like how project leaders can measure VPT effectiveness, how project leaders can ensure that VPT members remain engaged, motivated and accorded immediate support, and the common mistakes project leaders make when managing virtual project teams.
VPT Opportunities.
VPT provides many opportunities to the VPT members and the whole organization. cost saving is one of the significant opportunities for VPT teams. VPT members can work from different geographic locations hence cutting the cost that would accrue from workplace commitment from their residence. Experts from anywhere in the world can participate in online conferencing, saving them travelling costs as in physical project teams. Moreover, VPT saves an organization the cost of hiring, building and maintaining workplace structures and spaces, including conference rooms and offices. The fund that would be used for such expenses is invested or placed in other projects hence diverse organization development. According to the Global Workplace Analytics report (2021), organizations can save an upto $11,000 per annum for an employee working partly virtual. The organization’s executives can therefore scale the organization with the saved capital.
Virtual project teams have shown a significant increase in productivity among various firms worldwide. According to a report by PWC survey conducted on June 2020, almost half of the business executives in the U.S. confirmed that employee productivity has shoot up while working remotely (PWC, 2021). Multiples reason have attributed to this; there are fewer distractions when workers are working virtually than when in the workplace. Distractions may arise from office charts by coworkers or working pressures from managers in the workplace. Due to flexible working schedules, employees can organize their work in the best time frames according to their needs. The autonomy in taking breaks and working at the best times for employees can increase productivity. Workers can therefore devote their full attention to performing tasks. Consequently, most organizations have allowed their work remotely through VPT after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
VPT allows access to a diverse pool of talents since the members can be assembled from the globalized market. Members can therefore be acquired from different world parts providing access to a broader range of experiences, backgrounds and skills. By sharing diverse knowledge and skills, diverse solutions and strategies are found, making the company more productive. Virtual project teams offer an inclusive team where disabled workers can participate in the projects. The diverse opinions facilitate and enlighten the organization on new product developments, novel hiring procedures and inclusive policies.
Moreover, VPT teams ensure a healthy work-life balance, significantly contributing to improved productivity. Members work remotely from the workplace, therefore, experiencing more time with their close ones and reducing the tension in balancing work and life responsibilities. Most employees typically find it stressful in their daily commuting, which involves the repetitive routine of waking up early and commuting to work. Additionally, workers always have more time for their issues when working virtually than In conventional working environments.
Virtual project teams provide enormous satisfaction to employees, enhancing employee retention. Remote working reduces the stress of commitment, improves life-work balance and employees to be free from relocation stress (Lilian, 2014). These factors significantly improve job satisfaction among the employees and hence employees remain loyal to the organization. Similarly, organizations can retain their best and most productive employees. Business entities are relieved from the stress of looking for replacements when employees leave. Virtual project teams also offer excellent flexibility in working schedules, which can be a strong selling point for recruits.
VPTs enable full-day working hence faster time to market. The diverse time zones of members worldwide enable the organization’s operations to work around the clock. The working times for different members in the VPT are different, and hence different workers can work alternatively, making the organization’s operations to be running anytime. Constant teamwork and collaboration increase the company’s productivity.
VPT challenges
Despite VPT having numerous opportunities that can be explored to optimize the organization’s productivity, it also has challenges that, when not mitigated in advance, could lead to drastic negative impacts on the company. Communication and coordination is the chronic challenge among members in VPT, which constitutes delayed support and feedback (Gilkson, 2020). Consequently, the operations slow down, significantly affecting the member’s productivity. Similarly, the different time zones among members in different geographical locations may hinder coordinating various activities, especially conference meetings. Poor communication can cause conflicts, unmeet deadlines, elevated stress levels and customer dissatisfaction. These may drastically hinder any organization’s progress. Therefore, leaders should select the best virtual communication tools to enhance effective communication and clearly state the task, goals and objectives to group members.
Due to the limited face-to-face interactions, there is less trust and accountability in VPT. Mistrust among members makes the execution of group works difficult. Mistrust among member employees discourages progress and can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts between different employees. Based on empirical analyses, the highest trust levels among members in VPT stated their social interactions with friendly messages, set members’ duties clearly and portrayed a positive attitude, readiness, enthusiasm, and an action-oriented tone in their texts (Cascio, 2003). Trust is therefore established through the collaborative efforts of team members, facilitated by positive dynamics within the group. Moreover, trust is an essential motivational factor spiked by every team member’s expectations that all the members will honestly fulfil their duties, act with good intentions and devote themselves to achieving the team’s goals (Hacker et al., 2019). The leader must promote trust among the team members by setting mutual expectations and inspiring the team members.
Reduced team collaboration and interaction with employees in VPT. Virtual Project Teams are very impersonal since every member works alone and does their task when they want. The reduced collaboration and interaction hinder the sharing of practical knowledge hence the difficulty in learning new technical skills among members. Some team members may not participate fully during tasks that require teamwork. Moreover, instructions conveyed through online communication, including texts, can easily be misinterpreted by members making collaboration difficult. Group members should have high ability individual working hence the need for members to be taught. Moreover, there are risks b of social isolation due to less interaction which may cause boredom to the employee.
Virtual working is hard to manage as it can be hard to track the progress of different employees in the team. The physical inaccessibility makes it difficult for executives to get feedback from their employees compared to the conventional working place, where an executive can directly go to the working desks of the employees to ask for updates. Similarly, VPT can encourage laziness among employees as there is no executive pressure nor close monitoring of the employees, making them relax and hence slowing productivity. Leaders should put strict laws on task submitting to ensure individuals focus on their jobs.
There are high potential risks to the organization’s confidentiality, including trade secrets and bonds, due to the multiple access of various and diverse individuals. Despite many organizations offering tight data protection measures to their employees, they may still be victims of a system breach. Organizational information can be accessed from one of the members’ electronic tools, putting the whole organization in jeopardy.
The technology used in conducting the virtual communication may have concealed technological costs. The need for the internet, members need to be knowledgeable about various communication channels may require training which will cost the organization. Moreover, the communication software may suffer a breakdown which abruptly stops all the VPT operations for an organization. Breakdown affects the whole operation making it uncompetitive.
Leadership Strategies
The develop leadership strategies that would fit in the virtual environment requires excellent insights and analysis of the problems facing the VPT. The success of every team dramatically relies on the coherent relationship between the group members. Consequently, developing the leadership styles necessitates incorporating tools that enhance good relationship bonds, positive attitudes and trust among VPT members. The leadership strategies for VPT members include:
Upholding transparency in every specific and essential information to be passed to the members. Virtual employees need to understand their tasks, roles and duties; therefore, the leader must provide any information with the utmost clarity. Moreover, the virtual leaser must ensure that the data and information in the virtual tools are clear and accessible to every group member. Communication of essential issues should be made during regular meetings through video conferencing and updated in the collaboration tools.
Creating a basis for trust ensures that members have positive attitudes and expectations towards achieving the group’s goal. Trust is vital in VPT; therefore, leaders must promote an open online forum meeting to allow members to express their views and opinions honestly. Moreover, leaders should encourage positivity in the joint efforts portrayed by various employees. Through this, the foundation for trust is laid, which leads to team cohesion and personal accountability and enhances an information-sharing culture.
VPT members always work remotely and alone, making it necessary for the leader to communicate regularly as they are the only people close to the employees (Elyousft et al., 2021). Regular communication always reminds the employee to be aware of the duties and expectations required from them. Additionally, leaders should also stage platforms for the members to interact from time to time. This strategy abolishes communication barriers and minimizes isolation and boredom.
Choosing the right technology ensures members can communicate and collaborate effectively using video conferencing and other project management tools. The software should be easy to use, enabling members to navigate different tasks assigned to them effectively.
Incorporating inclusion in various decision-making and planning processes is another leadership strategy. Typically, employers desire to feel like they are part of the team and involving them in taking part in various plans for the organization makes them feel motivated and feel like they are appreciated too. Allowing virtual employees to participate in project planning gives them an insight into self-satisfaction.
Lastly, the leader must ensure the provision of quick feedback and response to any VPT member who will need the support of any type. Leaders can offer support by replying to questions and concerns punctually, providing resources and tools to help team members overcome challenges, and providing encouragement and recognition for tasks performed well.
Conclusion
Virtual project teams (VPTs) provide numerous opportunities for societies, such as increased flexibility, access to a broader talent pool, and cost savings. However, VPTs also pose some tests, including communication barriers, lack of face-to-face interaction, and time zone differences. To mitigate these challenges, project leaders should incorporate strategies such as regular check-ins, use of collaborative tools, training and development opportunities, communication and feedback, providing immediate support, and fostering a positive work environment. Using these strategies, project leaders can ensure that VPT members remain engaged, motivated, and supported, leading to a successful project outcome and overall satisfaction of team members.
References
Cascio, W.F. and Shurygailo, S., 2003. E-leadership and virtual teams. Organizational dynamics.
Elyousfi, F., Anand, A. and Dalmasso, A., 2021. Impact of e-leadership and team dynamics on virtual team performance in a public organization. International Journal of Public Sector Management.
Hacker, J.V., Johnson, M., Saunders, C. and Thayer, A.L., 2019. Trust in virtual teams: A multidisciplinary review and integration. Australasian Journal of Information Systems, 23.
Glikson, E. and Erez, M., 2020. The emergence of a communication climate in global virtual teams. Journal of World Business, 55(6), p.101001.
Morrison-Smith, S. and Ruiz, J., 2020. Challenges and barriers in virtual teams: a literature review. SN Applied Sciences, 2, pp.1-33.
Lilian, S.C., 2014. Virtual teams: Opportunities and challenges for e-leaders. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 110, pp.1251-1261.
PWC, U., 2021, January. It’s time to reimagine where and how work will get done. In PwC.
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