Virtual Management: Trials and Tribulations

by McDaniel, Christie L.

This study analyzes the differences in virtual and face-to-face team management. It tries to find similarities and differences between the two types of teams. It seeks to find out whether or not managers are trained to lead these teams and to identify the preferred method of work by employees: virtual work or work in a physical, face-to-face environment.

Members of two professional listservs (the North Carolina Project Management Institute and the American Society for Information Science and Technology) were sent links to an online survey. Participants were practitioners and worked on or managed virtual teams at least fifty percent of the time. The survey found that most virtual workers do not get trained to work virtually; furthermore, there is nearly a 50/50 split on work place preference (virtual or face-to-face) among virtual workers. It was also found that the most common complaint about virtual work is related to communication difficulties. Finally, the survey found that the younger the virtual worker, the more likely they are to be closely monitored by their manager.