THE NEW TELE-COMMUTER
"My purpose is to find out specifically, exactly what it is people want or need, help them get it quickly and elegantly (even if I can't give it to them), and have them feel good about it, my company and me!" ... Brian Azar
The Tele-Commuter.
There has been a dramatic increase in the availability, flexibility; efficiency and effectiveness of the technology that keeps us connected to those we need to communicate and collaborate with to reach our working objectives. Every day we hear about (and are tempted to upgrade to) new equipment, new systems, greater speed, and increased connectivity. Selecting and obtaining the technology to help us get our work done is now a non-issue. We’ll focus here on the human aspects of a satisfying and successful virtual work experience.
The Numbers
? Forrester Research estimates that by 2016, over 40% of the total workforce will telecommute. (October 2011)
? Companies that use one or more flexible work arrangements had 25% lower average turnover in 2010 compared to those that don't use any, and their average employee tenure is 43% greater.(WorldatWork, October 2011)
? The 6,500 GSA employees who pledge to telework at least one day of the week was up from 3,200 in 2011.
? 17.2 million Americans worked from home at least one day a month in 2008. (2009 survey by WorldatWork)
? 25% of employers plan to offer telecommuting as an option for retiring Boomers. (2008 Robert Half International Survey)
? In 2009 the Office of Personnel Management reported that approximately 102,000 Federal employees telework.
? 42% of U.S. employers say they have allowed staff to work remotely. (World at Work survey of 2,288 U.S. employers)
? 72% of employees say flexible work arrangements would cause them to choose one job over another. 37% specifically cite telecommuting. (The Edge Report, Robert Half International Survey)
? 51% of human resource professionals said that their companies offered at least some form of telecommuting. In that group, 79% said they offered telecommuting on a part-time or ad hoc basis, and 19 % said they offered it as a full-time option. (SFGate (San Francisco Chronical
? On December 9, 2010 President Obama signed H.R. 1722, the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010, into law
The Benefits
There are many reasons telecommuting appeals to both employer and employee, including autonomy, flexibility, independence, creativity, productivity, convenience, profitability...and kindness to the environment. Here are just a few examples:
? Increased productivity, by avoiding distractions and time-wasters of traditional office settings such as interruptions, long meetings, and wasted time commuting. Employees can be more effective and productive when they can fully focus without competing demands on their time and attention.
? Recruitment and retention: employees in key positions are asking for flexible working arrangements. A telecommuting option is very attractive from both a company and employee perspective.
? Real estate expenses for the company are decreased.
? People who work at home tend to put in a greater number of productive hours than their counterparts at the office.
? Companies save an average of $20,000 per full-time teleworker from reduced real estate, maintenance and office supply costs, according to Chuck Wilsker, president of the Telework Coalition, a Washington nonprofit that promotes telecommuting.
A quote from the Bay Area: "Resistance is definitely breaking down," said Terry Perry, owner of PinkSlip LLC, a San Jose human resources consultant. "I would advise if it's not part of your contingency plan, it needs to be. We have earthquakes out here."
The Challenges
What's the downside in "going home"? Working from home is neither for every organization nor every employee, but we can anticipate certain pitfalls and rough spots while looking for workable solutions. Change is in the air.
? "People Who Need People...": If you have a need for in-person action and interaction you may feel left out of things if you are working at home.
? Some managers may continue to believe that "face time" is the only way to guarantee productivity. Traditional line managers may be accustomed to managing by observation and not necessarily by results.
? Some people have trouble managing their time if they are working alone and remotely.
? Work can intrude into home and family time. Since work is always available...it can be seductive. Work can also intrude into vacation time. If you can work from home it's easier to believe you can work from anywhere. Advances in technology continue to reinforce this temptation.
? Teleworking can negatively affect a person's career. Some observers believe that people who telework were less likely to get promoted. Companies may be reluctant to promote people into leadership roles who haven't been consistently seen and measured.
? People who work virtually may be more prone to information overload--and an associated increased stress level.
Pay attention to work/life balance and don't ignore your need for personal time.
The Issues
? From Rosabeth Moss Kanter at HarvardBusiness.org : “The daily commute to work has high costs in time, aggravation, fuel consumption, and pollution….Workers of the world, go remote!...Flexible workplaces with flexible hours and days are long in coming.”
? The big picture: Telecommuting can offer fuller employment for parents, caregivers, the disabled, retirees, and people living in remote areas. It reduces traffic accidents, relieves the strain on transportation infrastructures, reduces pollution, saves fuel, and reduces energy use.
? For companies, telecommuting expands the talent pool, reduce the spread of illness, reduces costs, increases productivity, reduces their energy usage, offers an inexpensive method of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), reduces turnover and absenteeism, and improves employee morale.
Tips, tools and techniques for the Telecommuter
? Community: Create a community for yourself that reaches far beyond the traditional office environment—in-person or virtually. Find or form groups that support you in your business, profession, and personal goals. Understand social media and adapt what works well for you.
? Group Coaching: Coaching groups usually have 6-10 people with a common thread. A coaching group can work well when the participants are in the same or similar professions or occupation, e.g. coaches , attorneys, sales people, financial services professionals, academics, dentists. Another way to form coaching groups is through a common interest or situation, e.g. career transition, overstressed executives, working mothers, life path.
? Balance
1. Don't put your office in your bedroom. You will be reminded of work when you are supposed to be resting...causing fatigue and stress.
2. Some visual contact with nature eases fatigue.
3. Keep in mind some simple principles and tools that can keep sanity for the telecommuter: Standards, Boundaries, and Filters (see below for a resource).
4. A favorite quote of mine involves a dialog between Thoreau and Emerson” Thoreau: "Simplify, simplify, simplify... Our life is frittered away by detail." Emerson: "One 'simplify' would have been enough."
Tips, tools and techniques for the Organization
? Examine and adapt the way you evaluate workers and measure work performance, with more emphasis on output and meeting stated objectives—getting the work done.
? Create a document that covers who pays for equipment, insurance, time records, expectations and limitations on hours worked.
? Invest in management training to provide the necessary skills to lead an off-site team.
? Schedule regular voice and/or video communications with telecommuters—individually and with the team.
? Make sure all workers have clear objectives, goals, deadlines, and quality standards.
? Create a back-up system where team members can support and fill in for each other.
Published Weekly by Brian Azar, The Sales Catalyst, Inc.
410 Loblolly Drive, Durham, NC 27712
Phone: 919-620-1551