Question

It is essential that organizational leaders understand the competitive, financial, and strategic advantages that can result from not only implementing self-managed virtual teams but also ensuring that they are effective, high-performing groups. What advantages and disadvantages do you see for leaders attempting to manage a virtual team consisting of employees around the globe? Please provide one advantage and one disadvantage.

Answer 1

Virtual teams have become the necessity in the current globalized world where one company operates in many countries and employ people living in remote locations. However, managing virtual teams come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Let us discuss them.

Advantages

Managing a virtual team helps with saving operational costs. It doesn't require office space or the company doesn't have to incur utility bills like electricity and gas. This helps the company in reducing the cost of operations.

Also, since the team is not confined to one geographic location, the company can try to recruit talented people from across the globe to work in the company. This increases the skills and efficiency of the workforce.

Disadvantages

Having a virtual team that is scattered across the globe can result in misunderstandings and conflicts may arise. This is because due to cultural differences, communication and forms of expressions can be perceived differently by different team members. This gives rise to stress within the team.

Since virtual team members have to work in isolation and away from any form of social interaction, it may give rise to mental stress which is not conducive for high productivity and efficiency.