Telecommuting goes agile

Agile workers use wireless devices, such as BlackBerries, cell phones and other handhelds, to handle corporate work

By Jennifer Mears, Network World
April 23, 2007 04:10 PM ET

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John Halamka is busy. As CIO of CareGroup Health System in Boston, he’s responsible for making sure four Boston-area hospitals’ critical IT systems are up and running. In addition, he’s helping lead the charge to set national standards to enable interoperable healthcare systems.

Halamka finds the time for rock- and ice climbing, however, thanks to wireless devices that let him stay connected with work while doing the things he loves. “I receive 600 e-mails per day and use [my] BlackBerry to answer e-mail as I’m walking between meetings and in the moments that otherwise are unoccupied in my day,” he says. “Also, I use a BlackBerry on nights, weekends and vacations to enable me to serve my customers while also engaging in my avocations: rock- and ice climbing.”

Agility contest
Experts say companies that support agile workers — employees who work remotely from anywhere — will see increased productivity. But there can be hurdles. The pros and cons of agile workers:

Pros:		Cons:
•	Always on: A WorldatWork study found that teleworkers are about four times more likely to work during vacation than their office-confined co-workers..	•	Overtime liability: Because agile workers are always available, they could end up working too much, resulting in burnout or legal overtime troubles. WorldatWork suggests that companies have clear written rules for teleworkers (or agile workers) covered by wage and hour laws that spell out the hours such employees should be working.
•	Power workers: Wireless connectivity means employees can check e-mail and complete other tasks during downtime, increasing their productivity.	•	Missed meetings: Employees may be physically present but focused on their wireless devices rather than the meeting. Some companies deal with this hurdle by making conference rooms "dead zones" where wireless devices must be turned off.
•	Happier employees: Agile work gives employees the flexibility they need to find an acceptable work-life balance.	•	Unmet deadlines: Employees with more flexibility may miss deadlines. Organizations allowing agile work should make sure supervisors modify their management techniques to keep workflow acceptable. Experts say that agile workers should be given set deliverables and clear objectives.

Click to see: Employees who work remotely from anywhere will see increased productivity

Indeed, thanks to his BlackBerry, Halamka was able to combine work and play last summer, staying on top of discussions about national data standards while scaling the rocky side of Mt. Conness in Yosemite National Park.

Halamka doesn’t work from a home office so he probably is not considered a telecommuter, but he’s one of a growing number of so-called “agile workers,” teleworkers who get work done outside an office setting by using wireless devices such as BlackBerries, cell phones and other handhelds.

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Work doesn’t require a desk

“Agile work does not need to be performed at a desk,” says Jane Anderson, director of the Midwest Institute for Telecommuting Education in Minneapolis. “Employees can now seamlessly work away from the traditional office cubicles and communicate by e-mails, read or report, research, send memos, hold discussions, make or take phone calls, text-message, discuss decisions, problem-solve, and produce results faster — all without face-to-face contact.”