Career Development and Virtual Remote Work : Challenges and Opportunities

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, a surge in virtual remote work prompted a significant workforce shift from the office building to the home environment. Once workplaces reopened, a considerable portion of employees expressed a preference for sustained virtual remote arrangements. This development prompts an inquiry into whether employees opting for virtual remote work enjoy comparable career advancement opportunities as their in-office counterparts. This book explores the intersection of career development and virtual remote work and its dual impact on employees’ careers and organizational success.

The authors examine the positive and negative impacts of virtual remote work on career development. While virtual remote work may pose challenges in relationship-building and communication, it concurrently offers enhanced flexibility, autonomy, and self-direction. The authors also investigate gender-related hurdles in the realm of virtual work and the pivotal role of leaders in navigating the career development of virtual remote team members. With discussions of best practices and strategies for effective virtual remote career development, this book will appeal to HRD and HRM scholars and scholar-practitioners seeking to understand how organizations can adeptly navigate the rapidly changing virtual remote world of work.