糖心原创

Home⇛NRCP Research Journal⇛vol. 24 no. 1 (2025)

Virtual Team Challenges During Covid-19 Pandemic

Ma. Rowena Raguin Caguiat | Maureen Olive B Gallardo

Discipline: social sciences (non-specific)

 

Abstract:

The Year 2020 has surprised the world because of the coronavirus disease, commonly known as COVID-19. While many Filipino software development teams operate on virtual teams (“VTs”), limited studies have been conducted to explore the various issues related to virtual work arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the conduct of this study, 14 software developers who work in organizations with a hybrid setup were interviewed. Using the content-coding approach supplemented by thematic analysis. Adjustments include adopting flexible work hours, accepting late-night calls, disrupting sleeping patterns, and lack of social interactions among colleagues. On the other hand, there are also privileges such as work and location flexibility and avoiding traffic and travel expenses. To overcome challenges, VT members improved their communication skills, observed work shifts, developed technical competence in using different collaboration tools, being resourceful, stayed focused, observed time management, and reached out to new team members. While most respondents are used to this kind of work environment, the health crisis has highlighted the importance of communication, technical skills, empathy, time management, focus, dependability, organization, and resourcefulness as qualities of an effective team member. Having experienced the work-from-home setup and persisting in its challenges, virtual team members now preferred the hybrid setup.



References:

  1. Ayton, D. (2023). Thematic analysis. In D. Ayton, T. Tsindos, & D. Berkovic (Eds), Qualitative Research – A Practical Guide for Health and Social Care Researchers and Practitioners. Monash University.
  2. Axtell, K., Demaria, S.S., Gurick, M. (2022). Challenges and strategies of virtual team leaders: A global overview. The Scholarship Without Borders Journal, 1(1).
  3. Beirouty, ZA, Demirel, AG. (2022). Enrichment of virtual teams management through communication. Asian Journal of Social Science and Management Technology, 4(1), 176-190.
  4. Berry, G. R. (2011). Enhancing effectiveness on virtual teams: Understanding why traditional team skills are insufficient. The Journal of Business Communication (1973), 48(2), 186-206. 
  5. Beyerlein, M., Freedman, S., McGee, G., Moran, L. (2002). Beyond teams: Building the collaborative organization. The Collaborative Work Systems Series. Wiley.
  6. Bhargava, S. (2020). Virtuality and teams: Dealing with crises and catastrophes. Human Systems Management, 39(4), 537-547. 
  7. Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. doi:
  8. Candelario, C., Fullante, MK, Pan, WK., Gregorio, E. (2024). Integrative review of workplace health promotion in the Business Process Outsourcing industry: Focus on the Philippines. Public Health in Practice, 7.
  9. . J. (2022). Cohesion as a cardinal antecedent in virtual team performance: a meta- analysis.   Team   Performance   Management:   An   International   Journal, 28(5/6), 398-414.
  10. Chamakiotis, P., Panteli, N., Davison, R. (2021). Reimagining e-leadership for reconfigured virtual teams due to Covid-19. International  Journal of         Information      Management,  60(102381).
  11. Chen, X., Liu, F., Chen, X., Zeng, J. (2024). Work-life balance experiences of Business Process Outsourcing employees in a remote work-set up. Journal of Business and Management Studies, 6, 55-96.
  12. Cheng, X., Bao, Y., Yu, X., Shen, Y. (2021). Trust and group efficiency in multinational virtual team collaboration: A longitudinal study. Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, 30(3), 529-551.
  13. , G., , E. (2022). Leveraging intellectual capital management in virtual teams: What the Covid-19 pandemic taught us. Management Dynamics in Knowledge Economy, 10(2), 106–123. doi:
  14. Daly, J., Kellehear, A., Gliksman, M. (1997). The public health researcher: A methodological approach. Oxford University Press.
  15. Durante, J., Conrado, A.B., Sanchez, V., Lau, M., Higashi, R., Tiro, A., Francis, J. (2022). Caregiver perspectives on initiating sexual and reproductive health conversations, community norms, and views about long-acting reversible contraception   for adolescents            in         Dallas, TX. Journal      of            Adolescent      Health, 70(4), S52-S53. doi:
  16. Flavian, C., Miguel Guinaliu, M., Jordan P. (2022). Virtual teams are here to stay: How personality traits, virtuality and leader gender impact trust in the leader and team commitment. European Research on Management and Business Economics, 28(2).
  17. Feitosa, J., & Salas, E. (2021). Today’s virtual teams: Adapting lessons learned to the pandemic context. Organizational Dynamics, 50(1). 
  18. Gampal, M., Cardenas R. (2021). Work-life balance in the lens of Filipino workers: A generational perspective.
  19. (10), 588-592. doi: 10.21275/SR201007212347
  20. Garro-Abarca, V., Pedro Palos-Sanchez, PR., Rus-Arias, E. (2020). Working in virtual teams: A systematic   review and bibliometric Analysis. IEEEAccess, 8, 168923-168940. doi 10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3023546
  21. Garro-Abarca, V., Palos-Sanchez, P., & Aguayo-Camacho, M. (2021). Virtual teams in times of pandemic: Factors that influence performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 12(624637). doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.624637
  22. L., T., N., M., M. (2015). Virtual teams research: 10 years, 10 themes, and 10 opportunities. Journal of Management, 41(5), 1313-1337.
  23. Gupta, S., Pathak, G.S. (2017). Virtual team experiences in an emerging economy: a qualitative study. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 31(4), 778-794. doi
  24. Han, S.J., Hazard, N. (2022). Shared leadership in virtual teams at work: Practical strategies and research suggestions for human resource development. Human Resource Development Review, 21(3), 300-323. doi:
  25. Handke, L., Klonek, F., Parker, S., Kauffeld, S. (2020). Interactive effects of team virtuality and work design on team functioning. Small Group Research. 53(2), 185-206.
  26. Klonek, F.E., Kanse, L., Wee, S., Runneboom, C., & Parker, S. (2022). Did the Covid-19 lock-down make us better at working in virtual teams? Small Group Research, 53(2), 185-206.
  27. Knox, O., Parker, D., Johnson, D., Dombrowski, S., Thomson, G., Clarke, J., Hoddinott, P., Jolly, K., Ingram, J. (2023). Text message conversations between peer supporters and women to deliver infant feeding support using behavior change techniques: A qualitative analysis. Midwifery, 127(103838). doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2023.103838
  28. Morrison-Smith, S., Ruiz, J. (2020). Challenges and barriers in virtual teams: a literature review. SN Applied Sciences. 2, 1096.
  29. Ready, R., Martins-Klein, B., Orlovsky, I. (2020). Older and younger adult definitions of emotion terms: a mixed method content analysis. Aging and Mental Health, 25(12), 2374-2383. doi.
  30. Rice, P., & Ezzy, D. (1999). Qualitative research methods: A health focus. Oxford University Press.
  31. Stallman, A., Sheeran, N., Boschen, M. (2023). A qualitative exploration of general practitioners’ treatment decision- making for depressive symptoms. Medical Decision Making, 43(4), 498-507. doi: 10.1177/0272989X231166009
  32. Staples, D., Lina Z. (2006). The effects of cultural diversity in virtual teams versus face-to-face teams. Group Decision and Negotiation. 15(4). 389-406. DOI:
  33. Stratone M-E., Vatamanescu, E.-M., Treapat, L.-M., Rusu, M., & Vidu, C.-M. (2022). Contrasting traditional and virtual teams within the context of Covid-19 pandemic: From team culture towards objectives achievement. Sustainability, 14(8), 4558.
  34. Varhelahti, M., Turnquist, T. (2021). Diversity and Communication in Virtual Project Teams. IEEE Transactions on Profesional Communication, 64(2), 201-214. doi:
  35. Watanuki, HM, Renato de Oliveira Moraes, R. (2022). Trust in virtual teams: A systematic review of information systems   literature.   Journal   of   Information   Systems   and   Technology   Management, 19.
  36. Woike, B. (2007). Content Coding of Open-Ended Responses. In R.W. Robins, R.C. Fraley, & R.F. Krueger (Eds), Handbook of Research Methods in Personality Psychology (pp. 292 - 307). The Guilford Press.
  37. Whillans, A., Perlow, L., Turek, A. (2021). Experimenting during the shift to virtual team work: Learnings from how teams adapted their activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Information and Organization, 31(1).
  38. Xu, Q., Shen, Z., Shah, N., Cuomo, R., Cai, M., Brown, M., Li, J., Mackey, T. (2020). Characterizing Weibo social media posts from Wuhan, China during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic: Qualitative content analysis. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 6(4). doi: .
  39. Zeuge, A., Weigel, A., Niehaves, B., Oschinsky, F., Schlechtinger, M. (2020). Leading virtual teams – a literature review, University of Siegen, Germany, a STAR research project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of the Federal Republic of Germany, the European Social Fund, and the European Union

Tools


Copyright © 2026  糖心原创 Exclusively distributed by