By Dr. Marie Gould Harper
Program Director, Management
Virtual teams are trendy because managers are charged with making the workplace more flexible while remaining competitive. Both large and small organizations see the value of bringing together a group of high-caliber individuals to solve problems.
By allowing the workspace to be virtual, an organization’s Human Resources (HR) department can select “best of the best” employees without the need to have individuals tied to one geographic location. The additional advantages of remote workers include a reduction in workspace costs, increased productivity, new ways of enhancing customer service, better access to global markets and environmental benefits.
Human Resources and organizational development experts have held some fascinating conversations on the topic of whether or not virtual teams were effective and got the job done. Whether or not an employee should be given the opportunity to work remotely is governed by organizational policies.
Some organizations allow employees to work from home (1) if working from home has been written in the work agreement, (2) in the event of a life-changing event or illness and (3) on a regular basis.
To write a policy about working from home is relatively simple. If anyone is confused about the work from home policy’s intent, purpose and procedures, the employee handbook probably has a defined format on how a new policy should be implemented. It is usually clear, concise and to the point. As a result, the HR department can assist the manager with clarifying expectations, completing the performance review process and answering any questions that arise.
Then why do some virtual teams fail? Teams fail due to perception and projection.
Perceptions That Employees Have About Virtual Work
Employees not used to working virtually might have certain perceptions about what their employer expects of them. Here are some typical perceptions:
- Multiple cultures are working together on projects, and participants have never had the opportunity to learn about cultural differences in the workplace and do not know what to do. As a result, misunderstandings can occur due to a lack of communication.
- Human Resources professionals may be tied to old systems that are not designed to support the performance of a team. For example, the traditional performance review process might not be conducive to the needs and expectations of a team, especially one that is working remotely.
- Virtual workers do not work as hard as employees in the office. Some people believe the value of an individual’s performance correlates with whether or not you see that person. The overall message is that work only counts when you can physically see the person.
Projection: How Do People Profile Virtual Teams?
Employers might make assumptions about the effectiveness of virtual team members. These assumptions are often based on their perceptions of or lack of trust in their employees. Some typical thoughts include:
- We need a way to track their time during regular business hours (organizational trust issue).
- Employees are not disciplined to work efficiently from a remote location (assumption based on the behavior of a few employees, or managers/HR not profiling employees to ensure they can operate independently without direct supervision).
- Teams are more productive when they can talk around the water cooler. (Under the direction of Yahoo’s CEO Marissa Mayer, Yahoo’s Human Resources Director Jackie Reses ordered remote workers back to the offices. Mayer’s justification was that the organization needed to become one company and the only way that could occur would be if all employees were in one location. By being in one place, the employees could have more in-person meetings, which she believed would produce better decisions and insights.)
How to Ensure Virtual Teams Work Efficiently
As humans, we tend to make things more complicated than they have to be. A virtual team is like any other team. The same steps you take to prepare a team for the office should be the same steps you put into place for a virtual team.
For example, ensure that a detailed team development plan is in place before launching a work from home initiative. What are some key points to address in the plan?
- Selection – Allow the HR team to conduct various inventories on potential candidates to measure their effectiveness on teams as well as working alone with minimum supervision and direction.
- Charter – Facilitate the establishment of a written agreement among all virtual team members. The charter should address the roles and responsibilities of each team member, priorities and deadlines, as well as who is responsible for leading the team.
- Communication – Determine how the team will communicate with one another. Will it be via email, chat rooms, web conferencing, etc.? Establish the best time for the meetings, especially if there are members in different time zones.
- Trust – Prior to the team going live, select icebreaker activities that will provide each member the opportunity to know their peers and build trust.
- Boundaries – Consider allowing the team members to work through personality inventories. As they learn about each other, they can discuss the best ways to respect each other’s boundaries and space. Also, the same exercises could be used to think about how the team will manage conflict based on different personality and learning styles.
- Solutions – Consider Murphy’s Law. What is the team’s “Plan B” in the event something goes wrong? How will the alternative plan work if everyone does not become aware of the problem at the same time?
These bullet points cover the same areas that are tackled in the formation of an on-site team development plan. However, the factor that distinguishes the two is the level of technology needed to provide the team with the necessary tools to get the job done. Different technological tools (i.e. desktop video conferencing, collaborative software, the Internet and the company intranet) have allowed barriers to come down between homes and offices.
Technology has changed the world of work as we know it. Technology is an essential tool to ensure that your virtual teams can communicate effectively to get their projects completed in a timely and efficient manner.
All teams are as good as the effort given to ensure their success. Therefore, instead of highlighting why a team can’t work remotely, we should focus on providing the necessary tools and putting mechanisms in place to guide a virtual team on the right path.
About the Author
Dr. Marie Gould Harper is the Program Director of Management. She holds an undergraduate degree in psychology from Wellesley College, a master’s degree in instructional systems from Pennsylvania State University and a doctorate in business from Capella University. She is a progressive coach, facilitator, writer, strategist and human resources/organizational development professional with more than 30 years of leadership, project management and administrative experience. Dr. Gould Harper has worked in both corporate and academic environments.
Dr. Gould Harper is an innovative thinker and strong leader, manifesting people skills, a methodical approach to problems, organizational vision, and an ability to inspire followers. She is committed to continuous improvement in organizational effectiveness and human capital development, customer service and the development of future leaders.
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