Telecommuting in the 21st Century: How to Implement or Improve Virtual Teams and Flexible Work in Your Organization (Part 6: The Ground Rules)

Welcome to Part 6 of our 13 part audio series on Flexible Work and Telecommuting –  Telecommuting in the 21st Century: How to Implement or Improve Virtual Teams and Flexible Work in Your Organization“.

When shifting to telecommuting and flexible work it’s important to get your HR department involved and discuss how you will handle some standard questions and issues. For example – how will you choose teleworkers, who pays for equipment, and what kind of childcare is expected for employees working at home.  By discussing this upfront and creating a telework agreement it clarifies a shared vision of what the flexible work arrangements will look like in your company.

In part 6 of our podcast we look at the ground rules for telework and give you an overview of some essentials to discuss with HR and your employees to make sure everyone is on the same page.

So listen in to Part 6: The Ground Rules

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:15 — 7.5MB)

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Telecommuting in the 21st Century: How to Implement or Improve Virtual Teams and Flexible Work in Your Organization (Part 5: Common Telecommuting Pitfalls)

Welcome to Part 5 of our 13 part audio series on Flexible Work and Telecommuting –  Telecommuting in the 21st Century: How to Implement or Improve Virtual Teams and Flexible Work in Your Organization“.

Distributing your workforce and having employees work remotely can provide many benefits for your organization, but if you’re not careful you can fall prey to some common pitfalls. While telework is not rocket science, it does involve a shift in how and where people work.  It also requires some important planning and training to pave the way for a smooth transition from co-located to distributed work.

Luckily there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Many of the pitfalls that new telecommuters and their managers may encounter have already been identified by other organizations that have taken this road before.

In part 5 of our podcast the discussion centers around some of the typical challenges or pitfalls organizations face when implementing telework and how to avoid them.

So listen in to Part 5: Common Telecommuting Pitfalls?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:25 — 7.7MB)

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Is silence killing trust in your business?

While the old adage says “Silence is golden” it could be eroding trust in your business or on your team. When working with others remotely – whether it’s virtual team members, clients, or vendors – communication is what brings everyone together. Lack of effective and timely communication can quickly destroy working relationships and fill people with doubt and fear.

While timely communication and the danger of silence is something we often talk about in our workshops for virtual teams, it was highlighted recently by an experience I am having with a consultant we hired to do some specialized marketing. Never having met this consultant in person, my trust in him was based on his website, the testimonial of others who refer him, and examples of his work.  While all of these essential pieces were in place, the trust he had developed has quickly dissolved through poor communication.

In trying to get an update on the status of our project, which is past deadline,  I’ve left him several emails and voice mails over the past few weeks that have all gone unanswered. So what am I to think? In the lack of any information or communication from him, doubt creeps in: Maybe he has dropped the ball on my project, I guess we aren’t that important to him, why is he ignoring my messages?

Now believe me I understand what it’s like to be busy – but a short, quick reply to any one of the messages I sent would have not only kept me in the loop but would have increased my trust in him. A simple “Hey sorry I haven’t been able to get you that report yet but something came up and I want to make sure I give it my full attention”. A world of difference from silence – my attitude would have been “wow look how important my project is to him!“ When people’s problems are acknowledged in a timely manner they are more likely to feel respected and be patient for a solution.

I’ve made this mistake myself in the past and now have a policy that if I don’t have time to reply to someone, I at least send a quick message to acknowledge I received their message and will get back to them soon in more depth. Is this a mistake you’ve made? Have you let replies slide and found yourself struggling to repair lost faith? If you are a solo professional, small business owner, or virtual team member working with co-workers or clients you don’t see – your relationships are all based on trust.  Communication is not just important, it’s critical. Great communication doesn’t just happen – it needs to be a deliberate process.

When working with members of your remote team or clients, put these guidelines in place to be a “conscious communicator”:

• What are the preferred forms of communication? (ie. phone, email, instant messenger)
• What is the expected time frame for a response? (ie. 24 hours for email, 2 hours for voicemail)
• Take time to keep people updated with regards to project milestones and progress.
• Make sure everyone is on the same page with regards to expectations and deliverables.
• Consistency – how regularly should everyone be checking in with one another?

Proper communication can serve as a pathway to building trust, or left unchecked it can kill your business and your reputation and undermine your teamwork. By putting simple guidelines in place to make it a more conscious process your teamwork and business will thrive.

What are your tips for effective communication guidelines?

Telecommuting in the 21st Century: How to Implement or Improve Virtual Teams and Flexible Work in Your Organization (Part 4: What Makes a Good Telework Manager?)

Welcome to Part 4 of our 13 part audio series on Flexible Work and Telecommuting –  Telecommuting in the 21st Century: How to Implement or Improve Virtual Teams and Flexible Work in Your Organization“.

Most organizations feel one of the biggest challenges they face when implementing a telework program is dealing with remote management.  It’s unfortunate that many organizations let this perception stop them from reaping the benefits from telecommuting and a more flexible workplace.

Remote management is not radically different from managing people on-site: it requires the performance of basic management skills such as goal setting, assessing progress, giving regular feedback, and maintaining frequent, ongoing communication. However, while telecommuting and mobile work provide tremendous benefits to any organization, leading remote employees and managing dispersed teams have some unique challenges.

The difference is a shift in management style and the use of appropriate technology. The whole organization benefits through adjustments like learning to manage by results rather than activity, and by focusing on improving communication and nurturing trust between managers and employees. Instead of seeing this as an obstacle, view this as an opportunity to improve management in your company. Most organizations that have implemented telecommuting have found this to be an unexpected benefit of the process.

In part 4 of our podcast, our panel will explore what  qualities and best practices are needed for managing remote  employees.

So listen in to Part 4: What Makes a Good Telework Manager?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 6:43 — 6.2MB)

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Our workshop – “The Art of Virtual Leadership” is focused on helping managers learn to lead distributed or virtual teams and better manage remote employees.  Click here for more information.

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Telecommuting in the 21st Century: How to Implement or Improve Virtual Teams and Flexible Work in Your Organization (Part 3: What to Look for in a Telework Candidate?)

Welcome to Part 3 of our 13 part audio series on Flexible Work and Telecommuting –  Telecommuting in the 21st Century: How to Implement or Improve Virtual Teams and Flexible Work in Your Organization“.

If you are thinking about rolling out a telework program in your organization one question that is significant to ask is: who in our organization should telecommute? Not every person or every job is a good fit for telecommuting.  In last weeks episode (Part 2) we took a look at what job types were right for remote work. This week we discuss who makes a good telework candidate.

Aside from job tasks themselves – it’s important to pick people in your company that are most suited for working from home or outside the office. You will want to choose the employees who have the highest chance for success while you work out the details and get comfortable with telecommuting as as work option, especially in the early stages of your program.  Over time your choice of employees will expand as you learn how to handle  obstacles, develop more procedures, have more support in place, and learn to better use your technology. Training and employee development can help those that might need more “hands-on” management become better equipped for telework.

In part 3 of our podcast, our panel will look at the type of people and work habits that make the best telecommuters.

So listen in to Part 3: What to Look for in a Telework Candidate?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:46 — 5.3MB)

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