Face-to-Face Teams Outperform Virtual Teams: One Big Misconception?

As COVID restrictions ease, a return to the office is becoming a not-too-distant reality. Shift-like rotations and 3-day office weeks are some of the options being considered by organisations in a push to get people back through the doors. However, with many of us still working online there is still a need to think about how we can continue to strengthen engagement and performance in virtual teams, and what can be learnt from virtual collaboration and taken back to the office.

The rapid shift from face-to-face collaboration in an office to working virtually raised a number of concerns for organisations and leaders. How will teams maintain productivity and ‘get the work done’? How do we know if employees are pulling their weight? Although these concerns are somewhat justified (we have needed to adjust to a new way of working after all!), they have also shone a light on a commonly held belief that virtual teams cannot function as effectively as face-to-face teams.

The cost of this mentality is serious. Fears that employees are ‘slacking off’ when they cannot be seen at their desk can lead to micro-management, increased stress, and the pressure to be ‘tethered to your desk’ (for more info on this last point, read this great article by the Centre for Transformative Work Design). In turn, these factors can strain relationships within teams.

We had a look at the research to uncover whether there are performance differences between virtual and face-to-face teams to tackle the belief that virtual teams are less productive than face-to-face teams. The findings suggest that this issue is more complex than it first appears.

A recent review synthesised 48 studies to understand some of the factors that influence virtual team performance (Handke et al., 2019). Interestingly, they found that face-to-face teams tend to have an advantage when working on complex tasks that require substantial information processing (highly complex tasks). High work demands, such as time pressure and a lack of role clarity, also tended to create greater difficulties for virtual teams. However, under certain circumstances virtual teams can actually outperform office-based teams. These circumstances include:

• When workplaces provide resources — such as autonomy, social support, and feedback — that support effective teamwork and help to achieve work goals (Demerouti et al., 2001).
• When team members depend on one another to get the job done.

So what can teams and managers do to continue to enhance the success of virtual teams, and what lessons can be taken back to the office?

1. Emphasise work output, not work input

The number of hours spent at a desk is not always an accurate reflection of quality of work. Managers and teams should be focusing on work output (quality of work and meeting deadlines) rather than monitoring and tracking the number of hours being put in. Employees that feel they have autonomy over their role typically experience positive work outcomes, such as confidence in one’s abilities, and motivation (Grant, Wallace, & Spurgeon, 2013). Providing employees with work flexibility and autonomy (e.g. working hours, the projects they work on) can help to increase autonomy and trust.

Micromanagement and monitoring work input can contribute to the impression that managers do not trust their team members. Trust can be built by respecting work hours and ensuring that team members are not expected to be continuously available. Where outputs are not met it could indicate that a team member is having trouble adjusting to virtual work and requires greater support, in which case managers should leverage communication and provide help.

2. Communicate and provide role clarity

This is the time to up the ante in terms of communication. Research suggests that incorporating greater structure into communication helps to create a more supported environment (Dimitrova, 2003). This could mean scheduling regular team meetings and one-on-ones between managers and team members to check-in. Managers can take advantage of virtual team meetings to provide clarity on each member’s role within the team and involvement on specific projects. This is important as role clarity is associated with greater wellbeing and performance (Handke et al., 2019).

3. Provide social support

Social support is still important, even when teams can’t go for a drink after work on a Friday. Arranging virtual coffee time or ‘beer o’clock’ is a great way to strengthen social bonds within teams. Social support amongst virtual teams is also associated with innovation and self-efficacy (Handke et al., 2019). Team meetings provide an opportunity to check in on workload and wellbeing amongst teams, and allow team members to provide support as necessary (Grant, Wallace, & Spurgeon, 2013). Virtual teams that feel they can depend on one another are typically more effective collaborators, so it is worth encouraging and creating opportunities to spend virtual time with your team members.

The research we have raised in this article tells us that virtual working arrangements can be highly effective, and the strategies and tips provided here can help to build effective practices amongst virtual teams. Beyond this, we anticipate that building these habits amongst virtual teams will translate into more effective teamwork and performance back in the office.

References

Demerouti, E., Bakker, A. B., Nachreiner, F., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2001). The Job Demands-Resources Model of Burnout. Journal of Applied Psychology, 499–512.

Dimitrova, D. (2003), “Controlling teleworkers: supervision and flexibility revisited”, New Technology, Work and Employment, 18 (3), 181–195.

Grant, C., Wallance, L. M., & Spurgeon, P. (2013). An exploration of the psychological factors affecting remote e-worker’s job effectiveness, well-being and work-life balance. Employee Relations, 35 (5): 527–546, doi: 10.1108/ER-08–2012–0059

Handke, L., Klonek, F.E., Parker, S., & Kauffeld, S. (2019). Interactive effects of team virtuality and work design on team functioning. Small Group Research. Advance online publication. doi:10.1177/1046496419863490

Parker, S. (2020, April 8). Tethered or trusted? The “There’s no excuse not to be at your desk” phenomenon. Retrieved from Centre for Transformative Work Design: https://www.transformativeworkdesign.com/post/tethered-or-trusted-the-there-s-no-excuse-not-to-be-at-your-desk-phenomenon