Telecommuting in the 21st Century: How to Implement or Improve Virtual Teams and Flexible Work in Your Organization (Part 6: The Ground Rules)
October 9, 2009 by Phil Montero · Leave a Comment
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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E-learning, cloud computing, distributed work, and telecommuting (Techwatch Radio interview)
September 30, 2009 by Phil Montero · Leave a Comment
I had the pleasure of joining my friends Sam Bushman and Jay Harrison, the hosts of Techwatch Radio, last Saturday on their weekly tech talk show. I’ve been a fairly regular guest on their show over the last 5 years and always enjoy the discussions we have. What I love about their show is that, much like this blog, they take a practical approach to technology and living a digital lifestyle.
The program consists of fast-paced news, callers, guests, and features such as the website of the week and the do’s and dont’s of tech. Sam and Jay focus on balancing technology in your life and letting hi-tech serve you, not own you! Their fun, casual way of simplifying complex issues will help the average person get up-to-speed on the tricks and tools for the times we live in.
Last week I joined them for the second half of the show and we discussed elearning, managing remote workers, the growth of telecommuting, why I’m drinking the Apple Kool-Aid (and switching to a Mac soon), cloud computing, and the shifts involved with successful distributed work. You can listen using the player below and I invite you to comment on this post and share your thoughts on these topics and our discussion.
Techwatch Radio can be heard Saturday mornings from 10-11am ET. You can listen live from anywhere online or download past shows from their RSS feed. I subscribe to their podcast and listen on my iPod Touch so I don’t miss a thing!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:36 — 3.4MB)
Telecommuting in the 21st Century: How to Implement or Improve Virtual Teams and Flexible Work in Your Organization (Part 5: Common Telecommuting Pitfalls)
September 9, 2009 by Phil Montero · 2 Comments
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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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?)
August 25, 2009 by Phil Montero · Leave a Comment
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.
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?)
August 17, 2009 by Phil Montero · 1 Comment
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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