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Striving to keep teleworkers happy

Clubs, social events, meetings all keep telecommuters in the corporate loop
By Ann Bednarz , Network World , 12/13/2006
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IBM’s efforts to create a flexible work environment have been so successful that 40% of its 330,000 employees work from home, on the road, or at a client location on any given day. But a few years ago, the company realized that as its staff became more distributed, employee morale was weakening.

In the region Dan Pelino inherited in 2002, barely half of IBM workers surveyed by the company said they thought morale was good. Employees felt they lacked a strong connection to their peers, they were missing out on mentoring relationships, and institutional knowledge wasn’t being passed down within the company, says Pelino, who today is general manager of IBM’s global healthcare and life sciences business. Internally, employees joked that “IBM” stood for “I’m by myself,” he recalls.

The predicament IBM faced is common among companies that strive to provide nontraditional work arrangements. How do you offer flexibility without sacrificing corporate culture?

Employees who work from home or in remote branch offices often feel disconnected from corporate life and worry they will be forgotten and bypassed for promotions. Managers and employees have to make a concerted effort to stay in touch, experts say.

It’s a realization that typically comes after the technology hurdles have been crossed and IT departments have successfully outfitted employees with the gear and services they need to work from home or on the road. That’s when many companies realize the alienation issue is lurking throughout corporate outposts.

Bridging the telework divide
Savvy employers are not only investing in tools to make remote workers productive, but also finding ways to keep far-flung staff from feeling alienated.
Plan and budget for in-person company events during the year.
Schedule regular conference calls to keep remote staff in the corporate loop.
Use tools such as instant messaging and voice chat to facilitate informal conversations.
Consider video-conferencing options.
Recognize milestones in remote employees' lives, such as birthdays or weddings.
Provide a means for employees to share personal news, such as a virtual whiteboard.
Encourage staff who live near each other to meet in person when possible.
Regularly ask for feedback from home-based employees about ways to improve socialization.
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At IBM, Pelino and others set out to improve corporate culture. The company sparked new life into an old tradition: IBM Club, which brings together employees for intramural sports, picnics, movies and other types of social, cultural and recreational activities.

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Comments (9)
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Work from home - YEAHBy Anonymous on September 17, 2007, 8:43 amHi - I've now been working at home for nearly 6 years and am probably a poster child for the situation - mother of 2 children, one with a chronic health problem....

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Keeping teleworkers happyBy Andrew on January 11, 2007, 4:13 pmI am currently researching how organizations can better manage their teleworking employees. I have a questionnaire that will contribute to the final stage of my...

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I disagree with the push toBy Anonymous on January 9, 2007, 6:42 pmI disagree with the push to have people work from home. I do think the flexibility is good to work from home either due to bad weather, or if there is an occasional...

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The couple of IBM Clubs I'veBy Anonymous on January 4, 2007, 4:21 pmThe couple of IBM Clubs I've been involved with do have family-oriented events, however, there is also a great mixture of individual and individual events, like...

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mobile workers - at home and/or on the roadBy Anonymous on January 4, 2007, 4:14 pmPersonally, I think sametime is the best thing for feeling part of the community - it lets me see who is online and ask/answer questions or just chat over a cup...

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