Review Written by Linda Gravett, Ph.D., SPHR

There’s a "new deal" for employees, according to authors N. Fredric Crandall and Marc J. Wallace.  This "new deal" encompasses a new world of work in a virtual environment in which coworkers may seldom communicate face to face.  In order to succeed, the traditional workplace must be reshaped with updated practices around communication, management, and rewards.

Work & Rewards in the Virtual Workplace shares case studies from companies that are prospering from their successful transition to using virtual teams on an ongoing basis.  Some of these companies are utilizing telecommuting as a virtual workplace option and have designed virtual teams around core processes such as sales and product planning.  Regardless of the type of organization, the authors suggest that a fundamental framework must be set in place that motivates employees to be productive in a less closely monitored environment.

The authors share their suggestions about how to involve first-line supervisors in their newly-defined role in the virtual workplace. Crandall and Wallace note that first-line supervisors are the managers most affected by this "new deal", yet they’re typically the last ones in the organization to receive education and assistance with their role.

Team skills are still required in a virtual workplace, the authors point out.  Facilitation of team efforts must still be skillfully planned and executed. Expectations for results must be established. While Crandall and Wallace don’t delve into this concept as deeply as this reviewer would have liked, they at least put forward the need for future research and testing of the need for virtual team structures.

If your organization is planning to utilize virtual teams to even a limited extent, this book is a must to read!