Telecommuting the Conversation
December 13th, 2011 by Aimee in Fierce Conversations
So, you are a telecommuter, you have people on your team who telecommute, you are a wannabe telecommuter…you get the point.
How do you make sure you aren’t banished to the island of forgotten employees? How do you help an old school boss understand that you are working and not doing laundry and watching soap operas (do people even watch soap operas anymore)?
Some companies, like Plantronics are actually designing their work-spaces to try to keep employees working from home. They haven’t even designed enough desks for all their employees.
“There’s an expectation that you can work anywhere and be highly productive and engaged,” says Patricia Wadors, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Plantronics.
What Plantronics has come to realize is that conversations are changing. They can take place via Skype, text, email, phone and, of course, in person.
The secret to keeping the telecommuting conversations going, is to have them. And when you have them, be authentic and present.
Presence is not only about being physically present, but rather mentally and emotionally present. This is the key to being an engaged employee and not needing as much face time.
Things are changing. Kudos to the companies that are on the forefront of figuring this out. These companies are forging the path for the rest of them.
How do you stay engaged when you telecommute? What are your secrets or tips?
For more information about leadership development and training, visit our site (www.fierceinc.com).
by Aimee
December 13th, 2011 at 4:57 pm
I agree Aimee. People are immune to generic attempts at engagement. We are now living in an age where real-time means relevant. Like consumers, employees see right through the hip & cool lip service along with the feedback they give that continues to fall on deaf ears. Business models built predominately on the pillars of boosting sales, reducing costs and increasing profit margins compromise employee experiences, excluding needs in the name of business. Yet, successful companies know that there is a major shift happing within the marketplace and power is moving away from business to the “people/consumers”. Unfortunately, most people/employees within the workplace aren’t getting the same e-love to the extent that the consumers are getting it. Today consumers can bargain, buy, sell, trade or steal anything from the comfort of their home. Why? Because the consumer demanded it & the brands that responded (despite the new costs & org changes) captured new profits & loyalty. Ironically many of those responsive customer-centric companies are falling short when it comes to responding to the needs and desires of the people within their walls. Most working women feel overwhelmingly stressed by the demands on their time. Many have lobbied employers across various industries, asking for flexible working schedules and other time accommodations. The lack of progress is surprising… I worked from a home office for 6 years, at a time when digital & mobile tools were limited, I know that location isn’t a requirement for employee engagement. My outside working interactions with those on the inside were meaningful and productive and connected in “real-time”. Nothing generic, just relevant.
December 13th, 2011 at 6:14 pm
Holly – thank you for such a great post! I love what you have to say and am so excited to keep this conversation going! This is so important in so many ways. At Plantronics, they initially were forced to make the changes in telecommuting because of the environmental concerns for their business in Europe. Hopefully the US isn’t too far behind!