A federal government virtual group case study example -- Methods -- Group Dynamics -- Concerns of virtual teams -- Leadership skills -- Strategic implications

This investigation explores the operational nature of virtual teams in the federal sector. As more federal agencies allow employees to work from home, there is an increasing problem with office staffing and organizational effectiveness. Utilizing the Department of Energy (DOE) employees as virtual participants, the investigation uses the triangulation method approach for data collection. The primary goal is to explore human resource issues as they relate to virtual organizations. The significant findings include the following: (a) organizational selection practices should incorporate methods to identify the behavioral attributes and (b) characteristics associated with effective virtual team performance should be identified, and (c) organizations should celebrate accomplishments to help promote group cohesiveness. The paper concludes with a discussion, highlighting strategic implications for researchers and practitioners. This effort contributes to further exploration into the application of virtual teams in the government sector.