#working virtually

[blanchardresearchindia-stuf-blog]

4 Areas to Address in your corona virus working virtually strategy

This blog talks about the transition of work from home and what are the 4 areas that need to be kept in mind while for working remotely in times of corona virus.

The times are tough, and we need to be strong to come out victorious. Instead of cribbing

[tylerpluswork]

Some good research on the current estimates of how many people are telecommuting. Estimates sit at about 20 to 30 million in the U.S. but the article also goes on to talk about difficult it can be to arrive at a true number based on the various definition of telecommuting.

Based on all the research we’ve done, our estimate is that 20 to 30 million people currently work from home at least one day a week. 15 to 20 million are road warriors / mobile workers; 10 to 15 million are home businesses; 15 to 20 million work at home part time (with about half doing so 1-2 days a week; and about 3 million are based at home full time. ( Telework Research Network). WorldatWork estimates that about 44 million people work at home at least once a year.

Source

[tylerpluswork]

The Wall Street Journal had a good article recently about virtual meetings and some of the challenges they introduce. I have to say that I've pulled the old put-a-dress-shirt-on-top-of-athletic-shorts trick a time or two during our push to use our webcams more. But one of the biggest annoyances for me is background noise ... I encounter people having this issue very frequently:

“Background noise such as dogs barking, doorbells ringing, housecleaners vacuuming, traffic outside, typing or eating” are common problems, she says. One employee breathes heavily into the phone, not realizing it creates background noise. Sutton Fell often breaks into teleconferences to instruct participants: “Hey, if you’re not speaking, please put yourself on mute.”

Source

[tylerpluswork]

TechZone360 offers a list of the top 5 tools to stay productive in a virtual environment. Most of them seem like no-brainers, but a few really hit home.

A Wireless Headset Did you know that the use of a wireless headset in a work setting can significantly increase your level of productivity? If you aren’t currently using one, it might seem unlikely, but think of the possible benefits of multi-tasking when you aren’t distracted and tied up holding a handset to your ear while on a call. Whether you work in an office, from the privacy of your own home, or you are forced to take calls from the road while on the go, a wireless headset provides the convenience of being hands-free and can also reduce health issues related to muscle tension and neck strain. 

I desperately need one of these. I replaced my home phone system a couple years ago and mistakenly got handsets without microphone inputs ... needless to say I have some pretty severe neck strain. I don't use my cell phone for work calls because of the unreliable connection in my area, so I need a phone that allows a headset to be plugged in (or better yet, bluetooth connection).

Update: Looks like some of the newer phones are supporting bluetooth now.

[tylerpluswork]

Too many distractions at home? Too many distractions at the local coffee shop? Third Workplace is looking to eradicate those issues for the virtual worker by offering an "office" environment away from the office. They've just opened up the first location in Walnut Creek California and offer hourly rates to monthly plans. The rates include internet connectivity, access to printers/faxes, onsite support, and even refrigerator access.

Could this be an alternative to the telecommuter working from their home? 

Source

[flexpaths-blog-blog]

Will Working from Home - or with Geographically Dispersed Teams - Hurt Your Career?

Yes, suggests a survey by Harvard Medical School. Researchers found that how often academic authors were cited in papers was connected to how closely they sat to each other. This correlation led the researches to conclude that “despite the positive impact of emerging communication technologies on scientific research, our results provide striking evidence for the role of physical proximity as a predictor of the impact of collaborations.”

In other words, collaboration is more effective if you’re face-to-face rather than working in virtual teams.

Extrapolating from that research and conclusion, commentator/Forbes blogger Dan Bigman writes that working from home might dent your shiny new career - especially if your job requires working with teams and collaboration.

But don’t tell that to Ingrid Van Den Hoogen, who, after twenty years with Sun Microsystems, was recently hired as Chief Marketing Officer for Plantronics, a company based in San Jose.

Van Den Hoogen is - obviously - a successful executive who telecommutes to San Jose, California from her home in Alaska.

Apparently it can be done.

Just ask the executives at Flexpaths - all of us practice what we preach, from our homes, our cars, planes, and hotel rooms.

(And, occasionally, the office.)

Need a reason to explore further how teleworking could be beneficial for you and your company?  Pledge to telework during Telework Week brought to you by the Telework Exchange. 

Photo credit: Tina Lawson

In the meantime, what do you think?  Do you think telecommuting can be detrimental to your career if you're required to collaborate and work with an extended tea?