Slide1: Managing Teleworkers and Remote Teams


Agenda: Agenda Today’s Resource Team Why Telework? Managing Teleworkers: Opportunities and Challenges Four-Part Success Strategy Know your program Asses the work and the workers Manage for results Coach for success Scenarios


Slide3: Today’s Resource Team Industry Organization Size Telework Program Status Roles & Responsibilities


Telework: What’s in it for the Organization?: Telework: What’s in it for the Organization?


Organizational Advantages: Organizational Advantages Enables work anytime, anywhere Reduces real estate/costs Enhances recruiting and retention of valuable employees Business continuity Increases productivity and work quality Provides option for ADA accommodation Encourages management for results Contributes to improved traffic congestion/air quality


Employee Advantages: Employee Advantages Increases focus, productivity and work quality; reduces distractions and interruptions Increases flexibility Reduces commuting stress, delays, and costs Improves morale Accommodates work/life balance Lower personal costs, e.g., meals, clothing


Manager Advantages: Manager Advantages Positive employee morale Increased employee productivity Better individual work planning Less downtime from weather, traffic Increased employee availability Cross-training and knowledge sharing Increased macro view of work Broader talent pool for recruiting & access to expertise Reduced absenteeism Retention; increased worker loyalty


Manager Challenges: Manager Challenges


It’s Worth It!: It’s Worth It! Manager Advantages Positive employee morale Increased employee productivity Better individual work planning Less downtime from weather, traffic Increased employee availability Cross-training and knowledge sharing Increased macro view of work Broader talent pool for recruiting Reduced absenteeism Retention; increased worker loyalty Manager Challenges “How do I know they’re working?” Technology/equipment/ communication challenges Sense of entitlement; “everyone will want it” Unavailability Security concerns Cost, budget impact Co-worker impact Customer impact


Four-Part Success Strategy: Four-Part Success Strategy Be knowledgeable about the organization’s program, policies, guidelines Assess whether certain jobs, tasks, and people will be successful in telework Manage for results Coach for success


Know Your Policies & Program: Know Your Policies & Program Organizational goals Eligibility factors Participation guidelines Viable worksites Available technology Interdependent policies Who pays for what Paperwork Withdrawal process


Eligibility Factors: Eligibility Factors Performance rating Tenure Grade level Position description Organizational structure Other ____________________


Participation Guidelines: Participation Guidelines First and last: business-based Flexibility in all ways Training Not a substitute for dependent care Time and attendance practices Certain equipment requirements Home health, safety, zoning, taxes


Viable Worksites: Viable Worksites Home Satellite Office Customer Site Telework Center


Telework Center Facilities: Telework Center Facilities Top-of-the-line equipment 14 to 30+ workstations Open 24 hrs, 7 days/wk. Meeting rooms Private Offices Kitchen facilities Xerox and fax machines Handicapped accessibility; proximity to transportation, shopping, other services Lockable storage Internet access Video teleconferencing in some Centers


Available Technology: Available Technology Equipment Who supplies it Minimum/recommend-ed configuration Office tools, desktop applications Telecommunications Access to email Access to proprietary systems Security Technical Support How much is available, when


Who Pays for What: Who Pays for What


Interdependent Policies: Interdependent Policies At-will employment Security: data, equipment, access, documents Internet access, email Health and safety/ ergonomics/OSHA Worker’s Comp Fair Labor Standards Act: Non-exempt employees Vacation, sick leave Core business hours Travel, expenses Departure


Paperwork: Paperwork Application: Making the Business Case Agreement: Negotiate and contract Confirmation that the home office is set up safely and ergonomically Equipment: ownership, care, responsibilities Work plans Measurements of success


Withdrawal Process: Withdrawal Process Rights and responsibilities Business comes first Respect for involved parties Documentation: before, during, after


Strategy #3 Assess the Work, Assess the Workers: Strategy #3 Assess the Work, Assess the Workers


Job Functions: Job Functions Task portability Acceptable/required communication methodologies: phone, voicemail, email, fax, etc. Work team interdependencies Work schedules Equipment needs Performance measurability


Analyzing Job Functions for Telework: Analyzing Job Functions for Telework


Employee Characteristics: Employee Characteristics Self-motivated, self-managing Results-oriented Conscientious, organized Independent worker Flexible Understands job requirements Understands organizational policies and procedures Communicates well with colleagues and clients Handles change well


Analyzing Employee Characteristics for Telework: Analyzing Employee Characteristics for Telework Poor Excellent


Co-worker Considerations: Co-worker Considerations Interdependency Flexibility Communication Peer support Information management Collaboration


Strategy #1 Manage for Results: Strategy #1 Manage for Results


Manage For Results: Manage For Results Expectations Agreements Metrics Timeframes Problem solving


Expectations: Expectations Is… A work method Is not… An entitlement A reward Guaranteed Permanent A contract of work Teleworking


Expectations: Expectations Manager’s Responsibilities Evaluate readiness Structure the Agreement Manage for results; coach for success Employee’s Responsibilities Evaluate readiness Structure the Agreement Deliver and communicate for success


Structuring the Agreement: Structuring the Agreement Business case Goals and metrics Communications Tracking and reporting on the arrangement Red flags and emergency procedures Logistics


Business Case: 80% Business Case Nature of the work Daily requirements Volatile deadlines Sole-source employee Interdependency with others, teams Internal and external customers Time-sensitive communications Work processes (new, different, same) Evidence performance will be sustained or enhanced Manager Employee 20%


Goals & Metrics: Goals & Metrics Performance goals Project plans Roles and responsibilities Timeframes Process quotas Quality standards Customer satisfaction Successful teamwork Manager Employee 60% 40%


Communications: Communications Who, when, why, how Manager --> employee Employee --> manager Employee --> team mates Employee --> customers Meetings Media Phone mail E-mail Pager Cell phone 80% Manager Employee 20%


Analyzing Job Communications: Analyzing Job Communications


Slide36: Tracking and Reporting Figure out the topics for discussion now Document the frequency and purpose of your reporting Manager Employee 50% 50%


Red Flags andEmergency Procedures: Red Flags and Emergency Procedures Red flags Backup people and processes Information chain, flow How to be reached


Logistics: Logistics Timeframe for startup Training, cross-training Files, data, tools to be shared Notifications (if any), e.g., to customers Pilot period


Strategy #4 Coach for Success: Strategy #4 Coach for Success


Plan With the Team: Plan With the Team Expectations Agreements Metrics Timeframes Problem management


Manage Change: Manage Change Have meaningful, consistent measures and messages Publicly acknowledge progress React quickly and appropriately Ensure change is business-driven


Measuring Effectiveness: Measuring Effectiveness


Assessing Individual Effectiveness: Assessing Individual Effectiveness


Leverage the Technology for Team Success: Leverage the Technology for Team Success Phone, email, voicemail, cell phone, direct-connect phones Shared space on the intra- or internet Videoconferencing Collaboration software tools Speakerphones


Maximize Technology-Based Meetings: Maximize Technology-Based Meetings Be prepared Make your presence known Do not multi-task Practice “invisible etiquette” Use active listening skills Encourage participation Share leadership


Engage, Share, Learn: Engage, Share, Learn Establish regularly scheduled communications Take time to know each person Provide opportunities to share and shine Emphasize the worth and value of every member Ensure all relevant information is shared Include them in every employee opportunity


Encourage Career Management: Encourage Career Management Maximizing face time Demonstrating commitment Problem-solving Relationship building


Managing Teleworkers: Managing Teleworkers “You Make the Call!”


How Do You Handle It When…: How Do You Handle It When… The employee is not eligible The work assessment isn’t conducive to telework The employee assessment isn’t conducive to telework The employee’s application is less than compelling


The Tough Calls: The Tough Calls A. George is teleworking. You call his business line at home; when he answers, you can hear Oprah running in the background.


The Tough Calls: The Tough Calls B. Susan comes in and says she needs to telework. Her spouse has a new job with terrible hours, her kids have started at a new school, her nanny quit, her mom needs surgery…..


The Tough Calls: The Tough Calls C. Ling’s customer calls you to complain – no one could reach her this past Friday, which was her telework day.


The Tough Calls: The Tough Calls D. Jaime, your receptionist, does a lot of administrative paperwork; he wants to telework one day a week for some quiet working time.


The Tough Calls: The Tough Calls E. You have a team of four professionals, who have worked out a rolling coverage schedule that would give each of them a telework day once a week. But one of the four is a borderline performer.


The Tough Calls: The Tough Calls F. Isabel is a top-notch performer, with numerous qualities of a good teleworker: self-starting, conscientious, hard worker, fully experienced in her job. But her job entails daily work with a highly secure internal system, which cannot be accessed outside the office.


The Tough Calls: The Tough Calls G. Because of travel schedules, telework, and extended client visits, it’s impossible to bring the team together in one room on a regular basis; so, you’ve implemented a weekly conference call for project updates and business news. Everyone is good about calling in; but Sally rarely speaks up in the meetings.


The Successful Telework Manager: The Successful Telework Manager Manages by objectives and results Has a high level of flexibility and openness to new ways of doing things Communicates regularly and thoroughly with team members Is ready and willing to coach for success


Measure, Refine, Celebrate!: Measure, Refine, Celebrate! Have clear performance goals Have open, frank conversations about success: results as well as methodologies Be flexible in adjusting and refining Give reinforcing feedback