People issues pose the biggest challenge and require immediate attention. Remember, the goal of virtual management is to make the working atmosphere more energetic, more creative and more collaborative. That's why virtual managers are becoming increasingly valued because of the practicality, cost savings and efficiency versus traditional ones. Laptops, email, voicemail, groupware and other tools merely make it possible to accomplish tasks in any part of the world, at any time of day. Without a strong, focused, and highly integrated organization, the virtual operation is merely empty cyberspace.
Technological support is just as essential.
Employees should be effectively trained before being turned loose in a virtual operation. Executives and employees alike should stay abreast of technology. Employees lose a lot of that when they operate virtually, so executives have to ensure that employees are using the best technology the company can afford. Setting up a reporting system is crucial, as this will help managers keep track of individual or departmental completion of assignments or achievement of goals using appropriate tools such as email or groupware. This way, staff can develop and contribute to the database as needed.