Communication Strategies for Successful Virtual Teams

This study takes a closer look at communication as a team building strategy for global firms with an employee base with both geographical and cultural diversity. It provides some insight into the communication challenges that managers of a global workforce face, how existing technologies may or may not alleviate these challenges, and recommendations for managing the workforce effectively. The emerging communication technologies and tools are discussed, including their benefits in addressing the challenges of managing a remote workforce. We propose that these new tools form a new paradigm addressing the communication gaps often encountered in managing a global workforce, by facilitating more engagement and proactive participation by employees, resulting in more employees that have a more rewarding experience and a more productive team output. Finally the role of the manager in maintaining effective communication and building trust to maximize the potential of a culturally and geographically diverse workforce is analyzed.