Telework – managing remotely

In our last blog post we discussed the recent Telework Forum in Sydney. We learned that businesses that offer teleworking options can reap productivity benefits, increase staff retention and broaden recruitment opportunities, while reducing their environmental impact.

But how does this impact on management styles and staff work performance?

Liberating the office

A great infographic by Gist provides a valuable insight into just how mobile the modern day workforce already is.

Gist’s infographic suggests that workers are increasingly becoming liberated from their office workstations with smartphones, mobile email and tablet computers becoming everyday tools for the contemporary business person.

It also demonstrates that ‘work’ is no longer exclusive to the office, but is also happening at home, on the bus and in the coffee shop. This resonates with Tony Wright’s comments at the Telework Forum when he said, “Work’s not where you are, it’s what you do”.

Workforce mobility raises some interesting questions for how to effectively manage staff when they (or you) are not physically present in the office.

Chuck Robbins, Senior Vice President at Cisco, suggests that ‘virtual managers’ should ‘move to an outcomes-based performance’ style. This means managing and monitoring the work rather than the people, an idea supported by Matt English from IBM at the Telework Forum.

Clearer Communication

Management experts agree that effective communication is a vital component of team productivity. This is especially true when managing staff that telework.

An Anita Bruzzese article on USA Today suggests that managers should look to online communication tools like instant messaging, email and Skype and regularly scheduled catch-up phone calls to ensure everyone stays ‘in-the-loop’.

In addition, employees can set their manager’s mind at ease by sharing work calendars, clearly defining the hours they will be working each week and providing regular status updates on projects and workflow.

The Telework Forum demonstrated use of a collaborative software tool. A range of tools are on the market, which significantly heighten the quality of interactions for participants meeting at a distance.

Making telework happen

The recently announced Digital Hubs and Digital Enterprise programs are being progressively rolled out at sites to first benefit from the NBN. They will provide training for small-to-medium enterprises and not-for-profit organisations to better take advantage of the cutting-edge tools and services made possible through the NBN, including telework.

Also – don’t forget to check out the full webcast of the Telework Forum and the wealth of information for managers and staff on the Telework Australia website.

By Dylan, DBCDE