Coping with recession

Article Type: News From: International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Volume 58, Issue 6

With fewer employees, companies may want to broaden the search for internal talent in order to redirect the right people to the right projects. Virtual teams can help in this situation, expanding the population of potential team members beyond those sharing physical workspace. In fact, more than two-thirds of respondents to a recent Institute for Corporate Productivity survey on teams said they see their reliance on virtual teams growing in importance over the next three years.

For example, one way to sidestep productivity losses after downsizing is to keep progress moving on a project by using team members in different time zones. A well-orchestrated process can ensure that “handoffs” are streamlined such “follow the sun” scheduling can allow companies to take advantage of widely dispersed talent while also providing team members with better work/life balance.