Globalization, technological advances, and the recent pandemic have resulted in a rise in virtual work. There have been many benefits reported from workers, including higher job satisfaction, reduced commuting time, and better work-life balance leading to improved retention. Companies also have the advantage of hiring talent from a larger pool, increased innovation, and improved performance. However, research on whether virtual work leads to better productivity and performance varies. According to research, virtual teams present unique challenges because the lack of physical presence and reliance on technology for communication can cause employees to feel disconnected from their teams, which can lead to loneliness, reduced morale, work-life balance issues, and lack of support. Virtual work can also create misunderstandings, make spontaneous collaboration more difficult, negatively affect the organizational culture, and reduce employee engagement because of the lack of shared physical space. The lack of social interaction and a weakened sense of belonging impact morale and productivity. Some companies also struggle with a lack of accountability and inconsistent performance from virtual workers because of management issues. Motivation is another significant challenge for virtual work environments because of the lack of in-person feedback and feeling unsupported and disconnected from the organization. An absence of cohesive team culture in virtual environments can impact motivation, and insufficient technology support and poorly designed virtual workspaces can reduce productivity. This conceptual paper systematically reviews motivation literature to develop an understanding of how virtual team motivation can be enhanced. This research explores different motivation theories and concepts, applying them to different contexts of individual, teams, virtual, and virtual teams. Some of the motivation theories and concepts include self-determination theory, expectancy theory, self-efficacy, McClelland’s need theory, job characteristics theory, intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, goal-setting theory, Herzberg's two-factor theory, equity theory, demotivators, reinforcement theory, social identity theory, individual and team dynamics, collective efficacy, leadership, social exchange theory, isolation, technology, recognition and feedback, communication, and team trust. This research will help companies better manage their virtual teams by providing insights from motivation literature, adding to the lack of management literature on managing virtual teams, and adding to the management domain of human resources. A significant finding is that many traditional motivation theories were originally designed for in-person and individual motivation and only best match that context. It was also found that the motivation literature on teams, virtual, and virtual teams is lacking, especially research that incorporates motivation theories. Although limited research was available for motivation theories for teams and virtual environments, it appears that self-determination theory, goal-setting theory, and expectancy theory were the most flexible theories and the only ones that were incorporated in each context. It was also discovered that both in-person and virtual, in addition to individual and team motivation contexts, do differ because the top motivation theories and concepts differed by context. While no motivation theory was found that suited the virtual team context, the motivation concepts of communication, leadership, and team trust were the most relevant, with goal-setting theory being the most relevant theory. It was also discovered that Herzberg's two-factor theory, reinforcement theory, and equity theory had the lowest quality research and were least relevant for many of the different contexts. These findings provide recommendations for managers to help improve virtual team motivation, including the importance of communication, transformational leadership, trust, clear and challenging goals, and providing valuable feedback.