Benefits of individual preparation for team success: planning for virtual team communication, conflict resolution and belonging

Abstract

Purpose Team-based projects are being used at work in various industries and in education. This paper aims to share a training strategy that integrates training with casual games to effectively prepare individuals to perform better in team-based settings due to their acquisition of team skills combined with their knowledge of tools including a team charter, communication plan and conflict resolution plan. Design/methodology/approach A training module was developed, deployed and tested in a virtual classroom of an upper-level undergraduate business class to emulate real-world team experiences. In the study, 342 of the 631 participants enrolled chose to complete the optional training module, which included pre- and posttests followed by a perception survey. A quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the impact of the training upon team skills including communication, conflict resolution and feelings of belonging. Findings The pre- and posttest results for trainees indicated a significant increase in team process and development knowledge, which included concepts such as communication, conflict resolution methods, roles, goal-setting and expectation-setting. Survey results indicated a correlation between completing the team training module and improved communication within teams, particularly for teams developing a communication plan in addition to a team charter and conflict resolution strategies. Originality/value This research contributes to the literature on preparing individuals for success in teams through training and education using interactive games, while equipping them with tools to contribute to favorable team dynamics and outcomes. The results are applicable to business, organizations and training settings that incorporate team-based projects in online, hybrid and face-to-face settings.

Digital team coaching for workplace communication: longitudinal evaluation of recipients’ perceptions

“…Thus, digital interventions constitute a promising avenue for the future of workplace interventions. In this context, several studies have explored the impact of digital-based interventions on team communication in different sectors, such as military aviation (Bernardová, 2012), private enterprises (Franc et al , 2019), the hospitality industry (Tetour, 2019) and undergraduate business education (Willox et al , 2023). Taken together, these studies suggest that digital-based team communication interventions can enhance information sharing and situational awareness, improve clarity, timing, relevance and frequency of communication among team members, promote greater collaboration, problem-solving and overall productivity, and streamline communication processes, reduce misunderstandings and enhance overall team performance.…”

The value of training prior to virtual team membership

“…Study designed for a virtual work setting Willox et al (2022) conduct a study among college business course students, who were given the choice whether or not to participate in the virtual team training module. Mixedmethod quasi-experimental design was used as is the case in much classroom-based research.…”

Virtual learning by virtual playing

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Asynchronous and scalable training strategies to get the best collaboration results from remote teams V irtual environments demand hyper-optimal communication, as this has to be either pre-arranged, asynchronous, or energy matching in-the-moment. And getting the mix right is an art that threatens to vary according to the team and their habits.A research paper by Willox et al (2023) explores the skill areas of group belonging, communication, and conflict, through a training strategy that sets the stage to improve team collaboration results. The study sets out to answer the question of how much, if at all, a skillbased training course increased teams' collaborative performance.Data for the study were gathered from surveying 631 participants, 342 of which took a virtual classroom delivered training module, while the remaining control group participants didn't do the training module.

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“…A research paper by Willox et al (2023) explores the skill areas of group belonging, communication, and conflict, through a training strategy that sets the stage to improve team collaboration results. The study sets out to answer the question of how much, if at all, a skill-based training course increased teams' collaborative performance.…”