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did you know?

Nearly 60 percent of workers believe that telecommuting at least part-time is the ideal work situation.

IBM saves $700 million in real estate costs by allowing 25% of its worldwide employees to work from home.

wise words we heard

Businesses that ignore the possibilities offered by emerging technologies risk becoming dinosaurs.

virtual work

Virtual workers are defined as people who work from home, from the road, from anywhere that isn't a traditional office. The common denominator for all virtual workers is that they communicate and perform work duties almost entirely through electronic technology. Going virtual makes sense for many workers, not just the people you see plugging in at coffee shops around the globe: Gen Yers just starting out, older workers phasing into retirement, people who need a custom-fit because they have restricted physical abilities or live in remote geographic locations, or two-job families where being close to both jobs is impossible. High- and low-wage employers have found moving to virtual work productive and profitable. Call centers, sales teams, individual consultants - even entire organizations - have all found this new way of working to be virtually perfect.

Virtual work can create a more robust business overall, as it has been shown to cut workplace costs and produce more satisfied, productive employees.

Advice for Employers

Adopt a performance-based management philosophy. Look more at results and less and whose car is in the parking lot.

Use technology in innovative ways to promote team building. Consider going beyond the basics of phone and email in order to help create a close group and help workers connect. Set up a community home space featuring pictures and profiles of team members, a discussion board, a team calendar, or a chat room.

Show respect. This might mean being sensitive to members who speak English as a second language, or paying attention to language and cultural differences, business protocols - even time zones.

Design fair and consistent guidelines for who can take advantage of virtual work.

Meet in person, too. Many companies that adopt virtual work also have regular retreats or in-person check-ins. This promotes team cohesion.

Remember that workers cannot be available 24/7 and will need boundaries to make virtual working successful for both themselves and the business.

Advice for Workers

When making a case for a flexible work arrangement, cite the business benefits of higher productivity, less time lost commuting, worker loyalty, decreased absenteeism, improved health and sometimes reduced real estate costs. (See Studies and Research)

Create an expectation of clear work/life boundaries. Just because you are now connected to work at home or on vacation doesn't mean you should be online 24/7. Clarify what will work well for you and your employer.

Be realistic but open-minded about virtual work's plusses and minuses. While it fits well with some jobs, virtual work isn't a good fit for others.

Consider stepping up the frequency of communication. This can mean checking the team's calendar or sending an email after every phone conference to document and confirm the action plan. Find out what will make this work well for everyone.

“Snowtober” Highlights the Importance of Family-Friendly Workplace Policies

Submitted by Michelle Noehren on Mon, 2011-11-07 05:00

Not that I needed another reason to be grateful for many of the workplace benefits my current employer provides but I can’t help but be incredibly thankful that during Connecticut’s “snowtober” as it’s being called, my employer has allowed several of her employees the ability to work from home, be flexible with our work hours and has even said we can bring our children into the office if need be.

If you haven’t heard, Connecticut (and surrounding states), got hit hard by a snow storm right before Halloween. Most of the state has been without power for 7 days now, and our neighborhoods look like a tornado blew through and knocked all the trees (and power lines) down. Considering it’s hovering around 20-30 degrees at night, the fact that we have no heat in our home means I’m camped out at my parents’ house, who fortunately do have power and heat. I’m even more fortunate that I’m allowed to work remotely until power is restored in my area.

I know how fortunate I am to have a flexible workplace and I really understand the importance of workplace flexibility, especially for parents. So, I was delighted when I read an article about other Connecticut businesses that are making workplace friendly adjustments for their employees.

Aetna, a Hartford based insurance company, has been opening their doors to their employees children and spouses since Monday. They have even gone above and beyond by setting up activities, movies and special breakfasts for the children stuck at work with their parents (school has been closed in many towns). Aetna’s CEO is quoted in the Hartford Courant saying that “their employees are their most important assets.”

Research indicates that when companies provide for more family-friendly policies, employees feel more loyalty to their employers and in return, companies have less staff turnover. An employee (and mother) at Aetna is quoted saying, “I’m really proud. You really love to come work for a company that does this for their employees.”

And I’m happy to say Aetna is not the only place in Connecticut that I’ve heard is making accommodations for working parents. Hartford Hospital, Cigna in Bloomfield and many other large corporations are allowing for similar workplace perks during this difficult time in the state (almost 400,000 people are still without power, oh and Halloween was canceled!).

I hope that these companies, and all companies, realize the importance of workplace flexibility for parents not just in unexpected natural disasters like “snowtober” but also year-round. Workplace flexibility for employees is really a win-win – employees feel more loyalty to their workplace and employers keep talented employees while also saving money in turnover costs. Thank you, “snowtober” for really highlighting the need for family-friendly policies, because that’s about all I can thank you for.

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Michelle Noehren is the Events & Special Projects Manager at the Connecticut Permanent Commission on the Status of Women and is the founder of www.ctworkingmoms.com, an online community for Connecticut working moms. In addition to her career, website, husband and baby girl, she also serves as co-chair of the National Mothers & Caregivers Economic Rights Advisory Committee.

Blog originally posted at WorkingMother.com