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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.

Will They Still Make iPads, Mommy?

virtual work

Submitted by Nanette Fondas on Thu, 2011-10-06 04:00

This morning my six-year-old snuggled next to me on the couch, an iPad on his lap open to a smurfs game app; the Wall Street Journal on my lap, headline blazing “Steven Paul Jobs, 1955-2011.” I lifted the paper up to show him the photo of Jobs and told him that the inventor of the iPad had died.

“Will they still make iPads, now that he’s away?” my son asked, concerned. I assured him that Jobs’ company would continue to build them. Silently he returned to his game.

To all the tributes today about Steve Jobs, his life, and his companies, I want to add a thank you for all that his innovative products have done for moms and kids. As a work-at-home writer and mother of four children, the iPad became my best friend when I was finishing my book, The Custom-Fit Workplace. Publishers demand quick turnarounds when a book is in its final stages of editing and production. Carrying an iPad everywhere when all four kids were on summer vacation enabled me to help it hit the bookstore shelves on schedule.

The Internet is a tool that feminism has needed to help mothers stay in the “public” sphere of paid work, idea-generation, product-creation, business, leadership, and government. Steve Jobs put the Internet in our purses and pockets, as President Obama noted, thereby helping mothers balance workforce and family responsibilities. His tools make many parents’ work-life ecosystems sustainable.

Our kids will take these technologies further, thanks in part to the early learning they are getting on Apple products. I am wowed daily when I see what my kids are doing on their Macs and iPads, and how they are thinking about what apps and other inventions are needed to do new projects for Science, Art, or Humanities. Steve Jobs got their noggins joggin’ and I’ll be forever grateful.

And when we parents need a little respite from the daily craze, let’s not forget how enchanting our favorite old songs sound on an iPod. I’ll never forget the moment my teenager put the headphones on my ears to hear Stevie Nicks sing “Landslide.” Peace.

Thanks, Mr. Jobs. Kids, work, and music. Life doesn’t get better than that.

Originally posted at the MomsRising Peaceful Revolution column at the Huffington Post. The Peaceful Revolution comes from MomsRising.org and CustomFitWorkplace.org and presents innovative ideas to strengthen 21st Century American families through public policy, business practice, and cultural change.