Invoking team trust to facilitate performance management in the context of virtual teams

Purpose: Recent years have seen an upsurge in virtual working arrangements. However, many managers find it difficult to manage and motivate employees the absence of face-to-face contact. Traditional, structured performance management approaches therefore need give way more holistic technology-enabled that are better suited work. This study set out investigate how optimise teams, with specific reference role trust, both within across teams. While there is growing interest trust as a driver team performance, insufficient convergence between respective literatures on management, leaving research gap. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were conducted 18 middle top teams who worked large companies South Africa. The collected data then subject thematic analysis. Findings/results: These included: Virtual work can lead work–life imbalance; lack human contact strain interpersonal relationships erode trust; optimal context depends trusting environment, clear realistic goals, ‘agile practices’ (including coaching frequent feedback) appropriate technologies. Practical implications: provides new insights into challenges faced by creating performance-geared members. Originality/value: expands existing dynamics literature while also providing convenient conceptual framework guide future studies drivers management.