Study goals
To identify challenges and barriers faced by project managers working with virtual teams, specifically examining how these factors influence project management and success. Investigates impacts on organizational collaborators and explores mechanisms for overcoming identified obstacles within energy sector contexts.
Relevance / originality
Addresses critical knowledge gaps regarding virtual team management in energy sector project offices following COVID-19 pandemic transitions. Examines emergency adaptation to remote work models, contributing valuable insights for organizational transformation in technically complex, multidisciplinary environments requiring precision coordination.
Methodology / approach
Employs qualitative exploratory-descriptive research through single case study design. Data collection utilized semi-structured interviews with six professionals from engineering office specializing in energy sector structural projects. Content analysis methodology applied for systematic data interpretation and pattern identification.
Main results
Virtual team effectiveness depends on clear communication, efficient time management, employee engagement, and overcoming isolation challenges. Research revealed infrastructure investments of R$16,000 were necessary. Communication fragmentation across multiple channels created coordination difficulties, while productivity decreased due to increased errors and rework.
Theoretical / methodological contributions
Establishes systematic documentation of energy sector engineering offices' specific challenges during emergency remote work transition. Confirms critical importance of structured communication, adequate technological infrastructure, and self-management competency development. Demonstrates integrated project management platforms necessity for distributed team coordination.
Social / management contributions
Provides practical framework adaptable across organizational contexts for virtual work model implementation. Emphasizes that virtual team transition represents profound organizational transformation requiring process rethinking, competency development, and simultaneous technological and human infrastructure investments rather than simple location changes.