Challenges affecting efficient management of virtual teams in construction in times of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Team development is critical to the success of any organization, especially in construction projecta. If the team includes members from diverse locations, it brings diversity to the team. In recent times, a new breed of virtual teams has evolved in various construction organizations. However, coordinating such virtual teams on building projects remains a difficult challenge. Therefore, this research aims to identify the factors affecting efficient virtual teams to manage and tackle the challenges of virtual teams in construction projects in Egypt. To achieve the research aim, a combination of comprehensive research methods is adopted, in addition to the applied study that includes the distribution of the questionnaire survey among 55 members working in virtual teams in the field of the construction industry. The findings of this research contribute to identifying the challenges of virtual team management during the project lifecycle and studying the strategies and technological tools to deal with these challenges.