How Technology Is Changing the Way Teams Work

One of the fastest growing trends in modern business is the reliance on teams to resolve complex problems. Through effective collaboration, teams bring more and diverse resources to a task and can achieve better results for an organization. At Bentley, students receive numerous opportunities to develop their collaborative skills through team projects, presentations, and workshops.

Another recent trend is the proliferation of communication technologies in today’s organizations — from email and text messages to video phone calls, online meetings, and document-sharing systems. This proliferation of communications technologies has profoundly changed the ways in which employees interact and collaborate on projects.

Thanks to these new technologies, organizations are now able to connect employees from around the globe; workers communicate and share ideas regardless of their physical locations. When dispersed workers collaborate — relying on communication technologies to join together to accomplish a task — they form a “virtual team.” This type of team provides organizations with greater flexibility and better positions them to handle pressures from increasing globalization and competition.

Due to their many benefits, virtual teams are becoming ubiquitous in organizations. Since many virtual team members may never have the opportunity to meet face-to-face, these teams represent relatively new territory, leaving organizations scrambling to develop techniques to maximize their effectiveness. Students who enter the workforce with well-developed skills for operating effectively in a virtual environment are likely to stand out from their peers.

As part of Bentley’s core Business curriculum, certain sections of Human Behavior and Organizations (GB215) have begun incorporating virtual team exercises into their lesson plans. These in-class, virtual team experiences afford students the opportunity to work with other undergraduate students from across the U.S. and Canada on fun and engaging assignments. In this context, students learn firsthand that being on a virtual team requires a unique set of skills and an awareness of potential pitfalls and difficulties. The following list highlights five of the most critical requirements for becoming an effective virtual team member and promoting career advancement in today’s global economy:

1. Establish a personal connection with your teammates. Without in-person exchanges, it can be difficult to find common ground with others on your team. Push beyond task-oriented discussions and carve out time to share personal information (e.g., hobbies, interests, background). Finding similarities should help to promote trust and team commitment.
2. Create a communication protocol. Your team members may be scattered around the world. Effective virtual team members understand that differences in cultures and time zones may make communication difficult. Early in the team’s lifecycle, set expectations for communication frequency, tone, content, and type of technology to help minimize these difficulties.
3. Make a good first (virtual) impression. In a virtual environment, all others have to go on is your communication and performance. Set the tone early by proactively taking an interest in your teammates and expressing enthusiasm in the team’s task. This early commitment will go a long way towards demonstrating to your teammates that they, too, should invest in the team.
4. Make sure everyone has clearly defined roles. Virtual team members who have specific roles, and are aware of each other’s roles, are more likely to avoid common pitfalls such as groupthink (i.e., pressure to conform with other’s opinions).
5. Hit your mark. With fewer opportunities for informal discussions, virtual teams often operate in relative silence. That places a disproportionate emphasis on your communication patterns and task performance. Make sure to deliver on your commitments to demonstrate your dependability and meet your manager’s expectations.

Communication technologies have become fully ingrained in our society, which suggests that organizations will continue to rely heavily on virtual teams. While most items on the above list are applicable to all teams, working on a virtual team presents unique obstacles to being an effective team member, which makes these best practices even more important for driving virtual team performance. Students who have the chance to craft their virtual team skill-sets will hit the ground running regardless of the type of work environment they enter after graduation.

Kenneth Mullane is a fourth-year Business PhD student at Bentley University. His research focuses on virtual team performance, trust, and ethical climate.