Virtual teams are often used in project management to bring together people with different skills and knowledge from different parts of the world.
Benefits
Virtual teams can be more flexible and cost-effective than traditional co-located teams because they can draw from a larger pool of talent and don’t have to be in the same place. It is the antithesis of Colocation (Co-location) in project management with its own pros and cons.
Virtual teams, or teams that work together from different places, have a number of benefits for businesses as mentioned below.
Access to a larger pool of talent
By using virtual teams, organizations can tap into a larger pool of talent, no matter where they are in the world. This means that companies can hire the best applicants no matter where they live.
Increased productivity
Virtual teams can be more productive than traditional teams that all work in the same place. This is because team members can work during their most productive hours and don’t have to spend time commuting or doing other things that don’t relate to work.
Reduced costs
Virtual teams can save money on office space, equipment, and other costs that are usually associated with traditional teams that work together in the same place.
Greater flexibility
Working hours and locations can be more flexible for virtual teams. This makes it easier for team members to balance work and personal responsibilities, which makes them happier at work and keeps them from leaving.
Increased diversity
People on virtual teams often come from different places, cultures, and have different sets of skills. This can lead to more creativity, innovation, and the ability to solve problems.
Less damage to the environment
Virtual teams can cut down on the damage to the environment caused by commuting and using energy in the office. This can help organisations become more environmentally responsible.
Challenges
Those who have witnessed the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-2021 have experienced that virtual team have been an extremely productive mechanism in project management (especially in the field of IT) and has continued the tempo of the project almost undisrupted but it is not free from disadvantages as mentioned below.
Communication
There is less face-to-face interaction in virtual teams, which can make it harder for people to talk to each other and understand what they are saying.
Collaboration
It can be harder to work together in virtual teams because team members may have different work styles and live in different time zones. This makes it harder to coordinate and align work.
Culture
Virtual teams may find it hard to build a strong team culture and sense of belonging because team members may not have the same chances to socialize and build relationships as they would in a co-located team.
Technology
Virtual teams depend heavily on technology, and problems with technology can slow down or stop work.
To deal with these problems, project managers of virtual teams should set up clear ways to communicate and work together, set clear expectations and goals, and build a strong team culture by communicating regularly and doing activities that bring the team closer together. Also, project managers should choose and use the right technology tools to help virtual teams work together and talk to each other.
In short, virtual teams are becoming a more common way to manage projects, and they can offer flexibility and save money. But virtual teams also have their own problems that need to be solved through careful planning, good communication, and strong team-building.
Usage
It is used in human resource management and project communication management.
