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Ten tips to telework

Whether workers are sent home formally or on the fly, follow these guidelines to ensure their success.

By Jeff Zbar
Net.Worker, 11/12/01

For some, Sept. 11 changed everything in the workplace.

And for others, it changed very little.

Some companies have known for years that telework is an effective trump card against natural disasters or other calamities - a way to keep workers working. But these days, everybody's getting it. Even so, don't wait for a calamity to create a telework program: We found that companies with some previous telework experience were quicker to find ways to get their employees working again - whether at home or some shared space - in the weeks following the terrorist attacks.

While you'll find a wealth of advice from us and others on how to launch a formal remote work program, much of it assumes you've got several months with which to work. Instead, we've pulled together 10 essential tips that could have your employees teleworking in weeks, if not days.

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1. Make your first call to IT. Computer, network and telephone systems work in concert to make remote officing work. From IT and computer and software procurement, to cellular, local, broadband and long-distance telephone providers, the sooner IT knows what remote workers need, the sooner it can get them up and running.

2. List your resources. If the company has never instituted a formal telework program, spend time listing some of the resources - telework consultants, Web sites, even internal employees and managers familiar with telework best practices - who can be turned to provide the critical insights needed.

3. Be flexible in space selection. In ideal circumstances, workers have the time to plan and equip a home office. In a bind, that time, let alone an appropriate workspace, might not be available. In a pinch, combine remote and alternative officing strategies. Call on strategic partners who might have space available to sublet, and find resources and allies with space to spare. Long-term solutions will come eventually, but being creative at the outset can go a long way in getting your business back to normal.

4. Know the organizational chart. By knowing the intricacies of your company's workers, teams, departments and critical adjacencies, managers can help facilities and human resources colleagues place workers in appropriate settings - whether it's a shared space or home office.

5. Pick the right people. If possible, put only top performers in home offices - those who work well with the team or alone, consistently meet their deadlines and are easily managed from near or far. If this isn't an option, make sure team members are monitored closely to ensure they're performing to expectations.

6. Forget the polish. Under ideal circumstances, a telework pilot program is afforded time for thoughtful planning, testing and rollout. During a crisis, some of the planning can give way to get workers back to work. Productivity and performance reviews can be accelerated or held more frequently to ensure new teleworkers are meeting their deliverables and working well remotely.

7. Identify the best place workspace. Once you've established who will work from home, help them pick the most appropriate spot. The ideal place for a home office is in a dedicated room with a door. In a pinch, any quiet space secluded from the bustle of home life will do. At minimum, ensure there's a desk, computer, ergonomic chair, proper lighting, an Internet connection (preferably high-speed) and a business phone line. In the days after the attacks, many resourceful teleworkers used their cell phones for business and their home phone lines for Web access.

8. Keep team spirit alive. Realize that remoteness is a state of mind. Whether they're down the hall or across the country, workers rely on e-mail, instant messaging and the phone to connect. Even so, expect the sudden loss of physical contact and water cooler banter to exacerbate feelings of isolation. One way to maintain contact with the team is for members to start each day by sending an "I'm open for business" e-mail that includes the day's schedule and tasks to be accomplished. Make time for friendly chatter, so long as it doesn't interrupt workflow.

9. Exchange personal information. A good practice in the best and worst of times: If the network goes down, private ""e-mail and cell, personal and home-office telephone numbers can be invaluable for getting people back in touch. If appropriate, create and maintain a company site where people can exchange such information. Many first-time teleworkers reported that the lack of access to colleagues' personal information hampered recovery efforts.

10. Reach out and communicate. Disaster response requires corporate leadership and a support network to calm employees and answer questions. "Reach out as proactively as you can," recommends Julie Gerdeman, a vice president of account development in American Express' corporate services group. "Overcommunication makes people know we're there, and they have the information they need to succeed in this new environment."