Best Practices in Leveraging Virtual Environments for Learning
The Virtual Global Workforce: Leveraging Its Impact
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Transcript of The Virtual Global Workforce: Leveraging Its Impact
The Virtual Global
Workforce: Leveraging Its
ImpactWayne F. Cascio
Gateway I/O PsychologySt. Louis, MO
March 30, 2012
Global Labor
Markets Knowledge, trade,
technology, capital, goods, and services are more globally connected than ever
Coupled with the rise of emerging markets, and focus on new revenue streams, these trends have created a swell in global worker mobility
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Labor Will Become More Mobile
500M people, double the number today, will legally work outside their home countries in the next 20 years; why?
Conflict, natural disasters, climate change, economic opportunism
Implication: Great need for cross-cultural skills, adaptability, and flexibility
Source: SHRM, “At Work in 2020”
The Search for Talent
Having access to the best talent continues to challenge CEOs and business leaders
97% of CEOs in PriceWaterhouse Cooper’s 2011 Global CEO Survey say that having the right talent is THE most critical factor for their business growth
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SIOP XXVI - Number and Title of the Workshop 5
Global Talent GapAs many world populations age, birthrates in most mature economies are trending downward Many Western economies cite declining birth rates as a major
problem in the war for talent China, India, Eastern Europe, and parts of South America are
also grappling with critical talent shortages Russia alone faces an estimated reduction of approximately 20
million working-age people by 2030 The UN anticipates that China’s working-age population (those
aged 15-59) will fall behind Vietnam’s in 2020, and lag behind India and Brazil in 2025
Result: Safeguarding the talent pipeline will be a key driving force in HR strategy over the next decade
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The Rise of Virtual Teams
Aon Consulting’s 2009 Benefits and Talent Survey: 97% of
respondents said their organizations either planned to increase virtual work and telework options or keep them at the same level
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“According to our research ~30% of tasks in multinational corporations could be done virtually. Virtual mobility can also take a lead in women inclusion and enablement that have previously been excluded from the active labour force.”
– David Arkless, President, Corporate and Government Affairs, Manpower Inc.
Source: Johnson, S. L., SIOP/LEC, Oct., 2011
Source: Johnson, S. L., SIOP/LEC, Oct., 2011
Source: Global Talent Mobility (2011)
Examples of Virtual Mobility
Intel – virtual recruiting An Intel representative presents an audio or video
presentation, and prospective employees can submit topic and job questions
Intel also offers a variety of social-networking opportunities — blogs, podcasts, video, Facebook, Twitter — to allow interested individuals to interact with Intel employees around the world
“E-lancer” businesses - composed of one or more workers connected by electronic networks - will enable more people to undertake full or part-time work from home, such as outsourced tasks from other companies
Key Management Challenges in Virtual Teams
The success of any team – virtual or not – depends on the people
Technology can bring people together, but it’s the manager who must ensure that:
Relationships stay vital Each team member is valued, and Productivity is high
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Source: Johnson, S. L., SIOP/LEC, Oct., 2011
Managing Global Virtual Teams
Must be sensitive to language differences, differences in business protocol, and time zones
With ESL: It’s vital to determine that everyone understands what’s been said “I heard you say…” is a good way to clarify
Show respect to far-flung team members by varying start times, so people take turns participating in meetings in their early mornings or late evenings
Try to visit each country’s team once a year E&Y’s Americas Inclusiveness Team: all team members meet together annually Billie Williamson, E&Y partner and Americas Inclusiveness Officer:
Communicate more frequently, check in more often, be sure that people understand what is going on
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To Nurture Relationships Among Team Members
Set up a community home space featuring pictures and profiles of team members A discussion board, a team calendar, a chat room
Result: team members can connect with each other outside of meetings and create closer bonds as a group
Listen carefully to each team member on phone calls – is he/she excited? Bored?
Listen to everything, particularly to silences Silence can mean consent, disagreement, or disengagement Follow up immediately to those who are not responding, not
participating, or missing deadlines. Find out: what’s going on?
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Source: Johnson, S. L., SIOP/LEC, Oct., 2011
What Role Can I/O Psychologists Play?
Staffing Virtual Teams – many psychological issues are at play in virtual work
Cisco and Pear Kandola (UK consultancy) studied hundreds of workers at Cisco and other companies worldwide
Hypothesis: quants, introverts, and reclusive types will thrive in virtual work situations
Finding: It’s extroverts – office gabbers, life of the break-room party – who thrive They stay connected no matter where they are Shy, disorganized types are better kept in-house
Hypothesis: Mobile workers are more likely to be disorganized
Finding: Mobile workers are far better organized personally than their office-bound counterparts
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Developing Feedback Systems
Helps virtual workers feel connected to an organization
Must define expected deliverables clearly and in advance – projects completed on time, customer-satisfaction ratings
Leaders must reach out often; also use micro-feedback 19
Source: Johnson, S. L., SIOP/LEC, Oct., 2011
Implications for Managers of Global Virtual Teams
Find ways for more face-to-face contact with introverts on the team
Possibly pair them up with executives in the same geographic area
Create an office-like environment in cyberspace – perhaps through in-house social networks
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Creating “Swift Trust” in a Virtual Team
Such teams are often assembled to carry out a specific project
Must build trust swiftly at the outset, but it can be fragile No prior history of working together, no F2F communication Can create a sense of physical and psychological distance among team
members Solution: focus more on building cognitive than affective trust at the
outset
Cognitive trust – rational characteristics – reliability, integrity, competence, professionalism
Affective trust – emotional aspects and social skills of others – care and concern for the welfare of others, and an emotional connection
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Creating Trust (Cont.)
To work effectively, team members need to establish trust quickly to enable them to take risks and to rely on fellow team members
With short-lived virtual projects there is insufficient time to gather enough info about team members to assess their trustworthiness fully
Assessing cognitive, work-related attributes, such as competence, enables team members to judge potential trustworthiness quickly
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Creating Trust (Cont.)
Cognitive trust can be fragile One missed deadline or failure to respond can shatter the
team’s faith in an individual
Teams with higher levels of affective trust: Have more continuous and frequent communication Communicate more social information Allows closer relationships to be formed
With time, virtual teams can build affective trust24
Source: Johnson, S. L., SIOP/LEC, Oct., 2011
Implications for Managers
Facilitate cognitive trust building at the outset by sharing “CV information” among team members
Include details of their accomplishments, competence, experience, and integrity
Use socialization strategies to facilitate development of affective trust Online chat rooms, social videoconferences, social conference calls
Must maintain trust once it does develop! Use research-based conflict-resolution strategies to deal with
disagreements quickly before they undermine trust
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Data Privacy and Other Concerns
Organizations will need to pay close attention to the risks that emerge as a result of
technological enhancements
Key focus areas include:
• The potential interception of financial or personal data when transmitted across borders• The importance of personal data privacy when tracking an
employee’s movement• The need for a distinct separation of business and personal
profiling with regard to social networking
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Concerns (Cont.) Need clear company guidelines about the
extent to which an employee is seen torepresent the corporation in social
networking sites
Employers need to be careful about monitoring the ‘behavior’ of employees
when accessing these communication channels
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Hidden Benefit of Global Virtual Work
Arrangements
Permits employers to keep fast-track employees who are unwilling or unable to relocate for job assignments to remain in their leadership-succession pipelines
Hidden cost: Failure to get direct exposure to international assignments
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Conclusions World Economic Forum (2011): “Widespread talent scarcity
will persist for decades. That scarcity will redefine human capital practices and ways of doing business for a long time to come”
I/O psychologists will play crucial roles in defining and facilitating those human capital practices
The rise of global labor markets and global virtual teams offer ongoing opportunities for I/O psychologists to develop and refine innovative practices to meet these challenges
Isn’t it time we got on with the job?
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