Employer perspectives on virtual international working: essential skills for the globalised, digital workplace.

Crawford, Izzy

Abstract

This chapter summarises the key findings from a doctoral research project that examined employer perceptions of virtual, international working immediately before, during, and after the global pandemic took hold in Spring 2020. The purposive interview sample included new and experienced professionals who work in communication related roles within public, private, and third sector organisations. The research builds on previous evaluative research concerning student and faculty perceptions of virtual exchange. The key issues and themes that employers identified as important for virtual working are presented in their own words. Intercultural competency, digital literacy, and transferable skills are discussed together with business ethics, generational and sectoral differences, and the pedagogical opportunities created by the shift to remote, digital working. A new conceptual model for the training and preparation of staff and students for the post-pandemic, virtual workplace is recommended.

Citation

CRAWFORD, I. 2021. Employer perspectives on virtual international working: essential skills for the globalised, digital workplace. In Swartz, S., Barbosa, B., Crawford, I. and Luck, S. (eds.). Developments in virtual learning environments and global workplace. Hershey, PA: IGI Global [online], pages 178-204. Available from: https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-7331-0.ch010

• Acceptance Date: May 21, 2021
• Online Publication Date: May 21, 2021
• Publication Date: Jun 30, 2021
• Deposit Date: Aug 3, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 3, 2021
• Publisher: IGI Global
• Pages: 178-204
• Series Title: Advances in educational technologies and instructional design
• Series ISSN: 2326-8905; 2326-8913
• Book Title: Developments in virtual learning environments and the global workplace
• Chapter Number: Chapter 10
• ISBN: 9781799873310; 9781799873327
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-7331-0.ch010
• Keywords: Employer perceptions; Virtual working; International working; Pandemic; Virtual exchange; Intercultural competency; Digital literacy; Transferable skills; Virtual workplace
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1341410
• Related Public URLs: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1580546 (The book in which this has been published)