Rona Carr

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Monica is a manager with an excellent record of managing her customer service representatives, effectively managing costs and maintaining morale. Below she talks about the challenges of administering employees who want to work from home.

Four years ago, our company conducted a survey of our employees to find out what they felt we could do better. It was very interesting to read the results. All the managers met with leadership to find out which of the hundreds of suggestions were doable. The idea that came up most often was the desire to work from home. It wasn’t an option for most of the divisions of our business, but we agreed that we should sponsor a pilot program, and my area seemed like a good place to start.

(See CultureStrategyFit to learn more about the advantages of employee surveys)

The pilot program team involved every part of the business, from the human resources and benefits departments, to the Risk Management VP, lawyers from the legal department, the systems and technology folks, labor relations, and the business and operations managers.

The prevailing consideration that shaped the policies and procedures the team developed, was that to work from home was a direct positive influence on the quality of an employee’s work-life, could be used to motivate, reduce absenteeism, tardiness, and commuting time, enable greater access to a geographically diverse labor pool, retain employees when consolidating facilities, more easily include disabled who might have difficulties with the traditional office environment, increase overall productivity. In other words, it could be a major win-win for all involved.

(For sample telecommuting policies & procedures, go to: http://www.suitecommute.com/dempsey/sample-policies-and-procedures/ )

BUT there are concerns that demand diligent and prudent risk management.

* Administering telecommuters can be demanding, requiring clearly defined reporting and documentation of policies and procedures, such as signed agreements from non-exempt employees about when and who will authorize over-time hours, monitoring the actual work being done (e.g., implementing a clocking-in process either on-line or via the telephone, etc.), how, when and frequency of home inspection of the security of equipment and the employee, and the requisite written permission forms for such inspections, to name just a few.
* Developing, maintaining and delivering formalized communications programs are critical to conveying the policies and procedures related to telecommuting, including which positions qualify, related health & safety policies and procedures and their application, and liability requirements for both employers and employees.
* Supervising virtual team members is complicated and difficult, and not having the ‘face-time’ often makes communication very impersonal
* Determining how and when an injury will be investigated requires sensitivity and diplomacy. Especially when there are often no witnesses to the on-the-job injury that occurs at home.
* Privacy issues for the organization and employee are complex and represent high risk. Not only how and when the physical security of equipment and employees will be monitored, but trade secrets and confidential information, and the monitoring of employee access and tracking of where they go on-line and via telephone, require prudent oversight, frequent, and strict compliance with nondisclosure and/or confidentiality agreements.
* There can be communication issues with employees, who sometimes feel ‘out-of-the-loop’ when it comes to opportunities for special assignments, transfers and promotions.

Telecommuting at its worst is an imperfect tool. It puts an unreasonable amount of responsibility on the individual, to find ways to communicate and engage with managers and colleagues, and not become alienated. Managers have the burden of effectively managing the risk involved with employees working from home, an environment they have no control over, and bridging the distance, personalizing communications, to make everyone feel like they’re a part of the team.

(See Managing Telecommuters for suggestions about effectively managing employees who telecommute)

SUMMARY
Making telecommuting a viable and attractive option for both parties means a mutual commitment to maintaining open and frequent communications, and a collaborative approach to the development and implementation of the policies and procedures used in its administration, and how they will be applied. Driven by technology the world has become smaller and its boundaries less significant and, the option of working in space not unimaginable. Working virtually is no longer the future it is the way we work.

See the following articles on the future workplace:
“The Workplace of the Future”
http://www.smartmanager.com.au/web/au/smartmanager/en/pages/115_future.html

“Envision the Future Workplace”
http://www.checkpoint-elearning.com/article/1651.html

“Future Workforce Future Work”
http://www.flexibility.co.uk/flexwork/general/future-workforce.htm

Rona Carr

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Offering the option of working from home to an employee is not always perceived, by the employee, as something positive, and can, sometimes, create a feeling of mistrust and suspicion. Following, is an experience from an employee named Marla, a 40-year old married mother with two children who are 10 and 14 years old. She lives in the Northeast US.

I’ve been a senior customer service associate for a company that sells auto parts for 15-years. It’s not a particularly fun job, but I’ve always liked the company, mostly because of the people. We’ve worked together for a long time, and we see each other around town, go to the same baseball games, our kids are in school together.

Two years ago the company started talking about moving because of the economy and the cost of heating the office. They wanted to move to the South, where it would be warmer and not as expensive to do business. I was worried. My family wouldn’t want to move. My husband has a good job that he likes a lot, and the kids are in good schools and doing well. We don’t have any family in the South.

Last year, my supervisor asked me if I would think about working from home. I was surprised, and my first reaction was that it would be nice to be home when the kids got in from school. And when I told my husband that night, we both thought this could be a good opportunity. But when I spoke to a couple of my friends, they weren’t as excited about the idea. One said she’d tried it at another company, and hated it. She said she’d never felt so lonely, there was no one to talk to or have lunch with. The other one wanted to know if I would have to take a pay cut, and what would happen if I wanted to apply for a promotion. I hadn’t thought about that aspect of working from home, but I was meeting with my supervisor again later that week to give her my answer, and would ask a few more questions.

(See Out of Pocket: Financial Questions for Telecommuters and Managers, and Telecommuters Need To Develop Special Skills)

My supervisor thought working from home was a ‘no-brainer’, that I would say ‘yes’ right away. And when I started asking her about the equipment (the company would provide it), my pay (I wouldn’t lose any money or benefits), attending staff meetings (I’d have to call in to participate), and promotions or transfers (I might have to move to the company’s new location, but we’d talk about that when or if it happened), she actually apologized! She said that she should have given me more information when she first asked me to think about the offer. (See The Top Ten Benefits Of Working From Home)

While I was thinking about what she had told me, she shared that the company was going to move, and that there would be an announcement that morning. The company, she said, would begin downsizing, because not everyone was going to move, but that some parts of the business, like customer service, would offer a limited number of opportunities to continue working, but from home.

When my husband and I talked about it that evening, we both agreed that it would be a good thing for me to work from home because:

* I could be there when our kids got home from school
* My schedule would be a little more flexible and I wouldn’t have to punch a clock
* My work space would be steps away, instead of driving half-an-hour each way,
* Less money would be needed for gas and repairs on my car
* I could have music while I worked and the dog would keep me company
* I wouldn’t lose any money or my benefits, and
* The customers wouldn’t have to deal with someone else, and
* The company wouldn’t have to train a new person to do my job!

SUMMARY
To make working from home attractive to employees, communicate the benefits up-front. Honesty about the company’s reasons for making the opportunity available, and to whom, as well as the negatives, is critical in maintaining credibility and trust among employees, ensuring a smooth transition.

See the following articles for perspectives telecommuting:

“Getting Clueful: Seven Things The CIO Should Know About Telecommuting”
http://www.cio.com/article/108501/Getting_Clueful_Seven_Things_the_CIO_Should_Know_About_Telecommuting

“17 Telecommuting Pet Peeves”
http://www.cio.com/article/473164/_Telecommuting_Pet_Peeves?source=artrel_top

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Keeping a positive outlook and being proactive on your own behalf during an economic depression is not easy. The fear of losing a job can be overwhelming, often accompanied by a sense of paralysis that prevents you from doing anything more than going through the motions of getting to work and just doing your job. Understanding the times that we live in, what’s important to you and how you work, will give you the advantage of being adaptable and effective in a changing workplace. And knowing how to, positively, promote yourself, and remind others of your contribution(s) to the organization will be a valuable skill and ability. (See www.jobhunt.org)

Human Resources Is Your Friend
Make sure the information about you in the Human Resources data base is current, complete and correct. Your personnel file should reflect the training you’ve received, continuing education credits, most recent professional certifications and licenses, and a record of your active participation in any company sponsored volunteerism and community projects. Additionally, make sure that your performance evaluations and related information (e.g., goals) are also up to date. This information is the first point of reference when a company is being re-organized, acquired, or divested. And incomplete files don’t get the level of consideration that they would receive if the information contained had been complete and easily accessed.

Monitor the job postings throughout the company, and don’t be afraid to ask HR for additional information about a job’s content, reporting structure, the skills required, and the salary range if that information is not available in the posting. You should also ask about the best way to apply for jobs you might be interested in, especially if the company is using an outside recruiter for the process.

Pay attention to and nurture your personal internal relationships and networks. Keeping in touch, participating in meetings formal and informal, and sharing information and ideas are excellent ways of being mutually supportive of colleagues and friends. Being informed means improving your ability to anticipate changes and create positive outcomes for yourself.

Maintain strong and consistently good work habits (e.g., on-time for meetings and work, properly documented work papers, no missed deadlines without timely communication to the appropriate parties, etc.)

Be easy to work with, a good listener, and collaborative whenever possible.

Interpersonal Communication Skills Are Important
Volunteer to work on projects or assignments that are of interest. These will also provide an opportunity to hone your skills, build networks, and demonstrate personal strengths.

Manage upwards by staying in touch with, informally, the decision-makers that affect your work, and/or make assignments. Having someone in the strategic planning discussions who, because they know you, your work and how you work, could mean that you have an advocate when it’s time to determine the next promotion, or create a new team.

First impressions are important. Always look your best. Even on the weekends (you’d be surprised at who sees you when you least expect it!). No one wants to be around someone who always looks worried and anxious, like they’re suffering from sleepless nights. Maintain a healthy diet, exercise, and get plenty of rest. Appearing energetic, confident and clear-eyed always makes a good impression.

Actively engage in the on-line networks that make sense for you professionally, and don’t over share information.  Most professional networks have industry groups (e.g., project managers in technology, human resource professionals, etc.), and in some cases, groups of people who’ve left a company (formerkpmgrecruiters@yahoo.com), that could be of interest to you, and are willing to share their experiences.

Jeremiah K. Owyang, a senior analyst at Forrester Research, has watched the growth of online social media since 2005 and advises social networking users to follow an 80-20 rule. “Give information and answer questions 80 percent of the time, and 20 percent of the time ask for help. When a contact asks for a recommendation, write it graciously and promptly. If you think that person isn’t worth a recommendation, think again about being connected to that person.”

Try www.LinkedIn.com (with 30 million members and growing!)

A few other resources

Visit www.brazencareerist.com (a terrific blog for those who want to share their joys and the angst of a job search)

Also take a look at www.plaxo.com (20 million users)

A great read:  visit www.layoffsurvivalguide.com developed by Nancy Collamer, is an excellent resource

Taking the time to re-focus an organization’s attention and change the perception of your skills and abilities, especially when the company is experiencing a lot of change, can be important in determining the outcome of your career, short and long-term. How you choose to thrive and stay engaged in the community and world around you, will determine the quality of your survival and your next professional life.

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The tradition of giving a present during a holiday season or on a special occasion (e.g., birthday, graduation, etc.), during a fiscal depression requires a spirit of generosity, creativity, some thought and a good sense of humor. Acknowledging friends and family, saying ‘thank you’ to clients and co-workers, spending quality time with people you enjoy, is an opportunity to be a bright moment in someone’s life.

The following ideas will provide guidance to those who are expanding their concept of a ‘gift’ to include an experience or a small service, and who appreciate the joys of family, friendship, and the company of valued colleagues.

Gifts of personal service:

• Baby-sit children or others, especially on a weekend, for those who would like some time off
• Tutor a youth, student, or adult in your favorite subject, hobby, or something you do really well and enjoy
• Volunteer at a not for profit organization of your choice
• Prepare a home-cooked meal for someone, or a group of people you enjoy
• House-sit for someone who’s going away for a period of time
• Read aloud to a senior person, child, or someone disabled
• Create a CD of someone’s favorite music
• Pet sit for an owner who doesn’t want their ‘best friend’ to be lonely, or go hungry while they’re away
• Load someone’s iPod with their favorite music
• If you’re handy with tools and materials, make repairs around someone else’s house or apartment
• Be a personal ‘go-for’ to someone who could use an extra pair of hands for errands
• Spend personal time with someone you enjoy – going for a walk, seeing a movie, visiting a museum or gallery
• Renew your experience in the art of conversation with someone whose company you have missed
• Car pool friends, family, children and others to social activities
• Grocery shop for or with someone who’s unable to shop on their own easily
• Be the designated driver for family or friends
• Help someone start a personal garden (who doesn’t need help weeding?!  visit: www.garden.org/urbangardening)
• Teach someone how to play a musical instrument
• Coach a team sport ( visit: www.y-coach.com/)
• Repair a child’s toy ( visit: www.toytent.com/RepairShop.html)
• Host a board game/jigsaw puzzle night
• Distribute customized I.O.U.’s to friends, family, and significant others for an activity together

As a business owner:

• Host a low budget holiday party designed by the employees
• As a group, volunteer at a local not for profit organization
• If possible, schedule reduced hours for the holidays or special ocassion
• Give employees a free subscription to Netflix,  visit: www.netflix.com
• Compile a collection of everyone’s favorite recipe as an on-line holiday gift

Gift cards are convenient. To know that someone has spent lots of money on your gift is flattering. An elaborate professionally gift wrapped present can leave someone speechless.  But time with people that you care about, or the delivery of a service that contributes to the quality of someone else’s life, well, that’s an unforgettable memory to be treasured forever. It’s priceless.

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It’s almost the end of summer. And it’s with nostalgia that I look back on the trips I’ve taken (my favorite: Safari West, www.safariwest.com), with my mom and the California nieces & nephews, the books I’ve read (Hiaasen’s “The Downhill Lie” (and I don’t even play golf!), and ALL of Andrea Camilleri’s wonderful Southern Italian murder mysteries), the projects I’ve been a part of (wishing there had been more), and the light at dawn and sunsets across the country that I’ve shared with family, friends and others. Autumn officially begins September 22nd and I’m excited about returning to work with more focus. Would I say with joy? That might be an over statement, but it’s certainly not tearful.

photos by bond56

As a native Californian, I didn’t grow up with the change of seasons like those living in the Northeast or mid-West. And living in New York City, I’ve grown to love and anticipate each new season. But I found that the transition from summer to fall, required preparation, a ‘list’ if you will, of things that I had to do to prepare myself for the return to work. So, for those of you who are bemoaning the shorter days, cooler temperatures, and the end of the summer’s romance, I’ll share my list of what I do, that gets me ‘in the mood’ for longer work days, sharpens my focus on planning ahead (for professional and social reasons), and the cleaning of closets before the holidays begin. Hope it’s helpful.

The Fall Preparation List (planning starts in August!)
• Review calendar for priority engagements professional/ social/personal for next 6-months
• Review and/or revise business plan/goals/new initiatives
• Revise discretionary budget opportunities
• Check coupon folders for sales and closeouts
• Increase commitment to a more disciplined exercise program (to manage stress and in preparation for holiday feasting)*
• Continue daily meditation/prayer
• Re-stock beauty products as needed (www.perriconemd.com)
• Schedule next 6-months of on-going beautification & maintenance treatments at favorite local salon (www.felinedayspa.com)
• Evaluate the fall wardrobe & closets for new acquisitions and items to be donated/discarded
• Attend fall fashion trunk shows at favorite department stores (a freebee, and always fun!)
• Check-in with friends, colleagues and clients returning home from the summer hiatus
• Assess inventory of office/technology supplies, re-ordering as necessary
• Schedule winterizing service for the car
• Begin tax preparation & make appointment with tax guy to review situation (a terrifying experience that must be done)
• Check inventory of shoes and handbags, schedule needed repairs
• Plan fall foliage weekend get-away

Here’s to your fall season of ALL things good.
Rona Carr
Principal
The Austin International Group

*Managing stress effectively is critical to a healthy lifestyle, as is getting plenty of sleep, both of which I highly recommend