Individualism

• Virtual workplaces tend to have a high degree of individualism. This means employees tend to focus on their individual goals for the project and their careers. They might not see themselves foremost as part of a team. Those who work for themselves could have a long list of projects to complete for different companies, so while they could have a strong work ethic, they don't see themselves as part of any one company. This can be especially true if they've never met the people they're working with. Devising ways of letting coworkers get to know each other, like sharing photos and using a voice chat program, helps them see themselves as a team.
  
  

Comfort Level

• Some employees -- and not just the older generation -- feel daunted at having to learn and use new computer programs. Their comfort level with the programs, and their ability to adapt to changes in technology quickly, could affect their ability to collaborate with others via a computer. Furthermore, those who feel they can talk more effectively face-to-face, or have social personalities, sometimes feel frustrated when having to communicate on a screen.
  
  

Sensitivity

• Suggestions or criticism sent via the Internet sometimes seem less tactful than advice given in person. Words written as a brief line of text can seem blunt or even rude. The speaker's tone of voice cannot give the recipient clues about her meaning in this context, and the speaker cannot read the recipient's expression to learn whether she should clarify her statement. Furthermore, people can become less focused on the fact that a real person will be reading their message and write more bluntly, because personal connections might be less strong.
  
  

Instability

• Virtual teams that do not regularly work together experience greater challenges than those that work together steadily over a long period. If teams disperse after a project ends, team members could feel they've wasted effort getting to know the other team members and learning their roles -- if they got to know the other members at all. By letting employees work in stable teams in which coworkers get to know each other, companies foster trust between employees, which is often lacking in virtual workplaces.
  
  

Conflict Management

• If conflicts occur between individuals, they can be more difficult to manage because a mediator cannot speak to both people at one time in the same location. The mediator, or supervisor, might not directly see how the individuals involved interact together. He must listen to different versions of the story separately and make a decision, which can be difficult. Speaking on the phone or a voice chat program sometimes helps.