Reader Poll:

The Virtual Workforce: A Concept Unfulfilled?

by Terrance Malkinson

Years ago, industry leaders predicted that computers would help create a paperless office environment. Others forecast that most workers would be working in virtual offices as members of virtual teams. The reality, however, has been quite different. In “Fear and Loathing in the Virtual Workforce” (The Futurist, 38(2): 6-7, 2004, http://www.wfs.org/trendma204.htm), Cynthia G. Wagner reported the results of research conducted at the University of Tampere in Finland. The study suggests that even in the most technologically interconnected societies, telecommuting is not as widespread as many predicted it would be. Researchers suggested several reasons for the slower-than-predicted shift to a virtual work environment, including:

• Humans need socialization and face-to-face interaction with collaborators.

• With virtuality comes a loss of identity and distinction.

• Unique ideas are surrendered into a group’s intellectual identity.

• Technology destabilizes the relationship between organizations and employees.

• People lose opportunities to benefit from sharing ideas and experiences.

• Virtual teams are less able to transfer implicit knowledge.