In the meantime, there is also a suitable open source counterpart for every commercial software. Open source and free technological equipment for virtual teams is no longer necessarily inferior to the paid applications, but often even represents a comparable solution. In this article, I would like to explain in more detail what is important here and which factors play an essential role. All information reflects a Summary out Chapter 3.3 of my book Virtual teams and home office from Springer Verlag contrary. In addition, there is of course also commercial and technological equipment for virtual teams. But I would like to go into this in more detail in another article. Communication and collaboration software An example of an open source solution is the owncloud application (see Fig. 1). Similar to the functions of Microsoft 365, further open source solutions can be obtained that can be integrated into owncloud. Examples are:…

In the last 5 years in particular, the importance of virtual teams and home offices in companies has increased. Real growth can be seen here, especially when compared to the early 2000s. Almost every employee now works virtually in some form with their colleagues. This often happens via email or fixed home office days. The clear advantage of this way of working is clearly the independence of location. It enables companies to put together teams of experts who can work together in an intact system across national, time and company boundaries. In this article, I would like to explain in more detail which factors have developed into decisive drivers of these working methods. All information reflects a Summary out Chapter 1 of my book Virtual teams and home office from Springer Verlag contrary. Four decisive drivers for virtual teams and home offices The restructuring of old ways of working or…

While I was able to provide you with the necessary and suitable (software) tools beforehand, the task now is to use them correctly. Because for a successful leadership you also need the right working methods for virtual teams. In this article, I would like to explain in more detail what is important here and which factors play an essential role. All information reflects a Summary out Chapter 4 of my book Virtual teams and home office from Springer Verlag contrary. Working methods for virtual teams Virtual teams are particularly important in complex projects, as input from various expert groups is often required. Due to these circumstances, agile approaches are recommended here. Agility here means the characteristics of a company to react quickly, flexibly and, if possible, in real time to market changes. In this context, this primarily relates to specific processes and meeting formats. For perfect success, working methods for…

Digital communication and collaboration via software is essential for successful virtual work. It is therefore essential that the appropriate commercial and technological equipment is provided for virtual teams. In this article, I would like to explain in more detail what is important here and which factors play an essential role. All information reflects a Summary out Chapters 3.1 and 3.2 of my book Virtual teams and home office from Springer Verlag contrary. In addition, there is of course also commercial and open source equipment for virtual teams. But I would like to go into this in more detail in another article. Technological equipment for virtual teams From my experience, selected software tools for meaningful cooperation are in particular the following: Communication and collaboration software likeDocument storage (ownCloud or OneDrive),Software for task and process tracking (Jira or OTRS) as well as knowledge documentation (Confluence or Media Wiki)Virtual meeting options (Zoom or…

Special circumstances also need special measures – this sentence applies more than ever with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic. This relates above all to the management of virtual teams within companies, because especially because of the increased demand by the government to let their own employees work as much as possible from the home office, team leaders have to adapt to completely new circumstances and changed Set requirements. In this article, I would like to explain in more detail what is important here and which factors play an essential role. All information reflects a Summary out Chapter 5 of my book Virtual teams and home office from Springer Verlag contrary. Leadership for virtual teams on a personal level While long catchphrases such as “command” and “control” played an essential role in the management style, the type of leadership has now increasingly developed in the direction of humanity and authenticity. This…

The trend is clearly towards virtual work. While various drivers have favored growth over the past few years, companies are still faced with weighing up the opportunities and risks of virtual teams. In this article, I would like to explain in more detail which factors play an essential role on both sides. All information reflects a Summary out Chapter 2 of my book Virtual teams and home office from Springer Verlag contrary. Virtual team opportunities Why many companies have already decided to adopt virtual teams is based on some significant opportunities. These are: International presence : Virtual work makes it possible to work together with customers and specialists worldwide. New project, market potential and Knowledge advantage : The offer of a global connection can favor precisely these factors. Easier recruiting of skilled workers : Thanks to the flexibility, new employees can be acquired regardless of location and with virtual work…

Not only since virtual teams and home offices have become increasingly established in companies, video and telephone conferences are already being used as a substitute for personal meetings. Nevertheless, the stronger focus on the new methods in the context of New Work means that the right virtual meeting software and the right equipment are becoming significantly more important. In this article, I would like to explain in more detail what exactly is important here and which factors play an essential role. All information reflects a Summary out Chapter 3.4 of my book Virtual teams and home office from Springer Verlag contrary. Virtual meetings At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 in particular, it became clear how important it is to replace personal meetings with virtual conferences. This measure was even used so heavily by companies that there were occasional failures due to system overload. Most companies are…