Telecommuting in the 21st Century: How to Implement or Improve Virtual Teams and Flexible Work in Your Organization (Part 8: Managing Expectation)

Welcome to Part 8 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“.

In rolling out a telework program it’s critical to have realistic expectations for involvement and output.  You need to have a clear idea of what success looks like so you will know when you have achieved it and have proper feedback channels in place so you can determine what areas might need more work or attention to fine tune your program. Don’t overlook the importance of training to help your people adjust to this shift in work and management style. You also want to make sure managers and teleworkers understand what is expected of them.

In part 8 of our podcast we  will be discussing how to manage expectations and the importance of having clear measurable objectives, getting feedback, and providing training.

So listen in to Part 8: Managing Expectation

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:29 — 5.0MB)

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Telecommuting in the 21st Century: How to Implement or Improve Virtual Teams and Flexible Work in Your Organization (Part 7: Where Do We Start?)

Welcome to Part 7 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 looking to roll out  telework or flexwork in your organization it often helps to start with a pilot program.  This can help you gather important feedback, make sure you have the right technology in place, and help you recognize any speed bumps that might arise when expanding your program throughout the rest of your company. The size of your company will dictate how formal and involved this process needs to be. However having some type of trial period is always a good way to start.

In part 7 of our podcast we look at steps for successful telework implementation and how to get started.

So listen in to Part 7: Where Do We Start?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:01 — 2.8MB)

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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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E-learning, cloud computing, distributed work, and telecommuting (Techwatch Radio interview)

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)

University Programs in Mobile Work

Post Graduate Programs in Remote and Distributed Work?

A blog visitor, Christian M., sent this question:

I’m a 27 year old business consultant in Germany. I want to write a PhD thesis about “work anywhere, anytime”. Do you know a professor at a university, business school etc. who could supervise a PhD thesis about this topic or do you have an advise for me to find one? He could be located anywhere in the world.

I hope you know somebody doing scientific research about this topic.

Thanks a lot,
Christian

My reply to Christian was as follows:

We do not personally know any one who does scientific research into remote work or global business teams, but I may be able to suggest a few places to begin your research.

I am listing below a few universities which offer graduate level programs in areas closely related to your field of interest. Unfortunately, only the first is a PhD program. I believe the other 2 are MBAs but perhaps someone there could offer insight. The final link is to a resource which lists PhD programs in information related fields.

It seems odd given the prevalence of distributed work in our world that the field is still so young and unformed as an academic discipline. I discovered much the same thing when I studied Comparative Religions. I always felt that one of the benefits of that was the diversity of faculty and departments I got to work with – I would get to study under  Anthropologists, Historians, Doctors of Divinity, Sociologists, and Psychologists all in the same program, with only the subject as a unifying principle. So while the newness of telework as a subject of serious study presents some challenges, it likely also presents great opportunities and flexibility.
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