THE IMPACT OF COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION TOOLS ON ENHANCED REMOTE TEAM PERFORMANCE IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR: A CASE STUDY OF BALFOUR BEATTY

Abstract

Abstract In this dissertation, the role of communication and cooperation tools on the performance of remote teams in the infrastructure industry is examined using Balfour Beatty as an example. Researchers use interpretivist philosophy and secondary sources of data, including corporate reports, project files and academic papers, to conduct the study. In order to explore and summarize important topics on the use of digital tools in supporting distant collaboration, a thematic analysis was carried out. This study has selected data that mattered for this analysis such as Balfour Beatty’s latest annual and sustainability reports, industry white papers and scholarly journals. The study looks at how remote project teams at Balfour Beatty are using and assessing Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Slack as digital communication and collaboration tools. Such solutions are important for allowing information sharing, virtual gatherings, sharing documents and managing projects smoothly between remote teams in infrastructure. It assesses what is good and bad about using digital tools, covering technology issues (for example, unstable internet, old equipment), a lack of digital knowledge and opposition to transforming the organization. According to the analysis, digital technology strongly supports better communication, cooperation and decision-making among distant teams which leads to better project results and stronger teamwork. From the research, we find that some challenges such as varying technical abilities and the time needed for learning new platforms, can still slow down the use of these tools. Strong leadership plays a key role in managing these problems; when leaders communicate clearly, organize well-defined training and provide ongoing support, it becomes much easier for the team to use digital tools and gain from them. The dissertation ends by suggesting that infrastructure organizations looking to improve how remote teams work should focus on technology, keep capacity building up and ensure that leaders remain actively involved. The results add new knowledge to the field by outlining how using digital tools affects projects and provide useful advice for those working in the industry.