2. Agenda
Virtual Workforce: An Introduction
What are some current trends?
What are the benefits and issues?
Organizational Behavior: Applied!
Is your organization fit for a virtual workforce?
The path ahead for your organization!
5. Benefits
Work
Get
experts across the globe
Video
Cut
with Global Entities
conferencing in virtual teams
costs
Increase
Use
productivity
employee resource time efficiently
Reduce
carbon emission
Virtual Work Communication
6. Issues
Communication Gaps
Technological Barriers
Balancing work and life
Psychological Issues
Lack of Respect and Trust
Isolation
Less Opportunities
Geographical Barriers
Conflicts
Misattribution, Lack of mutual knowledge, Mistrust,
Limited access to expertise, and the Sharing and
transfer of knowledge
8. Is your organization fit for a
virtual workforce?
Wayne Enterprises
Characteristics
Stark Industries
Characteristics
Organization is a Claims Consultant
company - gathers and analyzes
quantitative data on claims and
generates performance reports (Does not
require face to face communication)
Organization is a Manufacturing company
that deals with weapons and defense and
is highly involved with the packaging and
shipments department, which requires
employees’ physical presence
Employees are working from New York,
Chicago and California
Employees are working from China,
Germany and India
Members are static and do not transition
off teams – all are part of a formal team
Members transition on and off teams –
not formally part of teams
They have equal access to electronic
communication and collaboration
technology
They do not have equal access to
electronic communication and
collaboration technology
9. No. of Checkmarks = Complexity Level
Characteristic Checklist
Members of the organization have the same
native language
Organization only has to deal with one country’s
regulatory authority
Members of the organization have equal access to
electronic communication and technology
Members of the organization are dispersed
internationally
Organization is spread over multiple time zones
with a large time difference (More than 4 hours
difference)
Organization requires face-to-face
communication
Organization will face a large expense in
introducing a virtual workforce if they are
dispersed globally
Organization has potential for cultural
stereotyping or biases
Organization has a potential language barrier that
could hinder effective communication
Complexity Level = Benchmark to decide an organization’s
compatibility in implementing Virtual Workforce
10. The path ahead for your
organization!
In the end, it is all about your organization –
whether its policies, infrastructure, work
culture, leadership and other characteristics
would allow an efficient Virtual Workforce
to be built and managed or not!