Question

Organizations are increasingly transcending country boarders and physical space limitations. What are some effective strategies to motivate dispersed team members in a virtual setting? What are some emerging trends that deal with this challenge in your field? Provide an example.

Answer 1

Effective strategies to motivate dispersed team members in a virtual setting:

• Team members should be self-motivated individually to encourage and involve them in the teams. They should have constant and continuous attention of the work they are doing.
• Establish good rapport and communication skills with the team members and with other members. Improve technologies usage and face-to-face contact to improve the activities.
• Key performance indicators are prepared and workers are assessed to achieve their desired objectives.
• Keep in contact with the members through the teleconference.ex: team members with photographs in a virtual web page.
• Workers should be given open space to express their problems and to rectify their issues and provide proper feedback even though from a different zone.
• Develop and maintain a strong team dynamics with new ideas.
• Even though the group is dispersed make group conversation and reward them. Ex: offer incentive programs to motivate them.
• Establish a virtual team approach and eliminate the language and cultural barriers. For ex: Help them to understand the new language and cultural values.

Emerging trend:

• Lack of effective communication is the top challenges in the virtual team. Ex: Members cannot be organized in the project work.
• Team members are less effective due to decreased role of their work. EX: increased absenteeism will affect the project work and individual performance.
• There will be increasing distractions in their work. Ex: Telecommuting will distract from their actual work.
• There will be increased language and cultural barriers is another challenges. For EX: workers on different work zones may face with these barriers.