Increasingly more organizations are embracing the use of virtual teams. According to a recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), nearly one-half, or 46 percent, of organizations surveyed use virtual teams. So how are they faring?

"When virtual teams work, their productivity can be impressive, but getting them to function can be a challenge," says Evren Esen, manager of SHRM's survey research center. "Improved technology may help facilitate the use of virtual teams."

According to responses from 379 randomly selected HR professionals, the most common obstacles preventing virtual team success include the following.