virtual teams

With the COVID-19 pandemic, it is no longer safe for teams to work closely and meet in person to discuss and work effectively. Thus, with social distancing, it has eventually led to the conceptualization and creation of virtual teams to complete their work, and achieve results. Before we look into how to create the perfect virtual groups suitable for your business, it is essential to know and understand what a virtual team is.

How do You Define a Virtual Team?

Virtual teams are defined as a team of people who converse using powerful technology tools to achieve a particular goal or task. Virtual teams are also known as dispersed or distributed teams. Although commonly known as remote teams, virtual teams are significantly different compared to conventional groups, as a remote team mainly consists of team members who work remotely.

The numerical distance between the members of a virtual team is much higher compared to conventional units. Traditional or classic teams usually work and operate out of the same location. Whether this is the same room or the same building, virtual teams are typically distributed across a vast geographical landscape and are much more ethnically diverse.

What are the defining characteristics of a high-performing team?

High performing virtual teams are expected to have the following requirements.

  • A unique global mindset of team members
  • Greater access and utilization of technology that benefits the team
  • Supporting the overall information flow with the help of different media
  • Natural resolution of conflicts that occur virtually
  • Dealing with challenges of time and distance

Thus, virtual groups and organizations are those successful teams. There are greater collaboration, cohesion, and trust that take place among specific individuals, as companies are more attuned and affable to recruit people and resources with the right set of talents, expertise, and training.

Virtual teams are classified based on specific metrics such as the role of the members, their main objectives, the ultimate goal, and the overall lifespan of the units. 

What are the Different Types of Virtual Teams?

#1 Network Teams

Network teams consist of a group of individuals who have different functional expertise and who are recruited in particular to share their knowledge and overall experience to achieve a common goal.

The memberships are incredibly fluid as members of the team are added based on the organization’s needs. They are removed from the organization once their full task is completed. This type of virtual team is prevalent in business as contractors, technology specialists, and business consultants.

#2 Parallel Teams

Parallel teams within an organization are a unique type of team that is primarily employed for solving research and development problems, innovation, or similarly focused projects. The team is intact until the end, and no one leaves in between.

#3 Project or Product Development Teams

Project or product development teams involve members who are brought together collectively from different parts of the world to develop a particular product or system of their own. In these teams, there are various subject experts, who always come together to create something unique as part of a bigger collective.

4. Production Teams

Production teams are formed only when individual team members have a specific requirement of performing a defined set of tasks. Team members are capable of working independently, with the overall summation of team members, and being thanked for their team’s contributions.

5. Service Teams

Service teams have team members who usually support customer or internal organizations with a technical support or service type of role. Teams typically operate 24/7 and around the clock, especially when your customers have a query or an issue that needs to be solved immediately.

6. Management Teams

Management teams rely heavily on collaborative work daily within the functional division of a corporation. MNCs have management teams comprised of team members who are globally dispersed when it is time to take crucial or essential decisions.

7. Actionable Teams   

Action teams are completely power-packed teams that are usually formed for a short duration of time. Action teams are capable of responding to immediate problems available to solve a majority of the issues that the customers face.

Final Thoughts

Virtual teams have finally arrived here to stay, which is incredibly crucial for various businesses. It is essential always to keep working on your process until you have a virtually successful team.

With the rapid advent of globalization, the COVID-19 pandemic, we are in hard times at the moment as catalysts to a situation that keeps getting worse. It is crucial that all conventional or traditional tools, embrace working remotely for the safety of their employees.