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There are several types of virtual teams that you need to be aware of; we will be discussing a few of those in the paragraphs down below: The Internet is taking over our lives day by day. Who would’ve thought that the world would progress so much to the point where we won’t even need to leave the house to work in a job with a team that you can easily communicate with by simply pressing a few buttons on your laptop or phone. A virtual team may be a group of individuals working together in the same workplace or separate places, such as different cities, nations, and time zones. People from many cultures, backgrounds, and areas of expertise join forces to achieve a shared objective.
Types of virtual teams
Networked teams:
The members of this team are geographically spread and may include people from other organizations. Members are frequently persons with varying levels of experience who work together to address a specific problem. In addition, membership is fluid because new members are recruited as needed, while old members are withdrawn when their roles are completed. People who have met their roles frequently depart the team. This sort of virtual team may be seen in consultancy and technology companies.
Action teams:
An action team is formed for a limited time and is tasked with reacting to a pressing issue. The team is disbanded once the problem has been handled. An action team, like the last example, is not entirely virtual. However, as individuals get more comfortable working with virtual teams, their utilization expands beyond previously.
Service Groups:
A service team is made up of people from several time zones. They are self-contained. Their shifts, however, overlap to provide continuous service. For example, after one change on the East Coast is completed, the West Coast crew takes over.
Parallel teams:
These groups are different types of people who work for the company. Members are assigned additional tasks to look after and their core ones, which they must undertake in parallel, thus the term parallel team. The squad stays together until the very finish, with no one leaving in the middle. Parallel teams are utilized in R&D, sales, and marketing organizations, where all team members contribute their ideas and perspectives to achieve a specific goal. Similar teams are generally created for a limited period, and their membership is stable since members of a parallel team stay together until the goal is achieved.
Offshore ISD Teams:
Many organizations outsource jobs to other nations where the cost of doing so is lower; consequently, the team at two distinct locations is fine-tuned via practical task and result exchange. All software development outsourcing companies follow this strategy. So far, we’ve seen how a virtual team may help in a variety of situations. It may appear to be full of benefits, yet everything has its perks and disadvantages. Let’s talk about them.
Management teams:
A management team is a group of managers that work for the same company. They may work together under one roof, but they form a virtual team if they operate in separate locations. Management teams collaborate to establish business strategies based on the aims and objectives of the firm.
Advantages of virtual teams
Increased productivity:
Being part of a virtual team is such a potent incentive for some employees that their output increases by more than 40%. Even under the worst-case situation, a productive virtual team enjoys at least a 10% increase in production. Most individuals produce their best work when not forced to a physical workplace, with the longest commuters experiencing the most significant improvements. If you eliminate a 30-minute drive to work, you’ve just given that worker 1 hour of free time that they didn’t have before. Also, Employees are frequently distracted by gossip, inane comments, workplace politics, and the like. These distractions are eliminated in the virtual team, resulting in increased efficiency.
Lower costs:
You won’t have to bother renting office space, buying furniture, or paying for utilities if you conduct your business remotely. You won’t need to lease nearly as much office space if you open a primary office with only a few employees. One may consider how much money saved could be used to purchase this. However, when you include the costs of furniture, computers, power, and Internet, as well as a comfortable area for people to sit, you’ll see that administrative expenses such as I-cards, a cafeteria, and a lunchroom adds up to a significant sum.
Low attrition rate:
Employees love working from home because it gives them more freedom, a better work-life balance, and a sense of accomplishment. Employees that are more satisfied stay in the firm for more extended periods, which benefits the organization. The firm saves a lot of money on recruitment and training and has a valuable resource on staff. You’re also no longer restricted to the skills and abilities accessible inside your organization or community. With only a few mouse clicks, you may access a whole world of talent thanks to the Internet. Platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork allow you to employ freelancers and small companies to work with you at reasonable prices. You may hire workers for a variety of activities, ranging from short-term projects to full-time contract labor.
Disadvantages of virtual teams
Concerns about security and compliance
In some sectors, having private information kept remotely is highly dangerous. In certain areas, such as financial services and healthcare, the unintentional loss or leak of data, for example, might have significant consequences. Virtual teams are entirely reliant on the Internet and computers to do their tasks. Power outages, poor computer hardware/software, virus attacks, and internet troubles cause numerous problems, and work is put on hold until the technological issue is fixed.
Communication issues and misunderstandings
A virtual team’s structure is often transactional. When a worker is given a task, they must complete it within a certain amount of time. Everyone is out doing their own thing, and you’re lucky if you can get everyone together for a weekly conference call. When you work online from home, you miss out on the nonverbal clues that individuals use to communicate with one another. You’re frequently left with written words, which are simple to misread. Silos tend to emerge when communication issues mix with the individual nature of the working arrangement.
Employees in a virtual workplace, on the other hand, don’t have as much of a chance to meet for unplanned talks that may frequently improve cooperation. With a virtual team, there is often a social component to work that is absent. Even while you’re collaborating with people, you’re also working from home. To combat the loneliness that can creep up on workers, they must be proactive in their social activities outside of their professional obligations. When you work remotely, you don’t have the opportunity to socialize, take a lunch break, or discuss your favorite TV series.