Remote and Flexible WorkingTransforming the Workspace

Session 3

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Introducing remote workingWhat is meant by “remote working”?

Is it always home-working?

Location / time aspects?

Workers suited to remote working

Motivation Which groupsChildcare Parents, Grandparents

Care Adult carers – typically mid-late career

Empowerment to mange own time

All

Avoid rush-hour commute All

Ability to work remotely Particularly working parents, those with disabilities and individuals living in remote rural locations

Pros and cons of remote workingPROS CONS• Employees work from home or

remotely

• Proven to increase productivity

• Cost savings on premises

• Environmental - Reduces traffic carbon emissions

• Work life balance for individual – reduces stress of the commute

• Requires strong management skills

• Isolation for the employee

• Additional Health and Safety checks may be required

What’s missing? Exercise

Form into small groupsConsider “what's missing” for remote-working employees and also project workers (cf. Charles Handy's clover-leaf model)What are the problems and issues associated with being a remote worker? Feed backSummarise

Photo by Justin Marty

Photo by Marco Gomes

Open source & social

Many needs can be met online

File storage & accessCommunicationManagement and monitoringCollaborationPastoral / social

Virtual Private Network / VPNWeb-based applications / cloud computing

Open source & social

File storage & access

Broadband internet accessVirtual Private Networks (VPN)Extranet (private website with customisable

permission levels eg Drupal)Document sharing – Microsoft Sharepoint (£), wikis

(eg wetpaint), Google DocsFile sharing: drop.io, dropbox

Communication tools

EmailVoice over IP (VoIP) eg SkypeOnline chat eg SkypeWebconferencing / virtual meetings eg Dim DimScreen-sharing Remote Control (for IT support) Twitter / Yammer / Instant MessagingVideo conferencing Remote conference access eg webcastingSmart phone numbers

Unified Communications The worker can select

their preferred method of communication depending on their location.

eg if at that point in the day they are best contacted only by email, Unified Comms systems will convert all IMs, texts and voicemails to emails for them to pick up as soon as they are able.

Email

Voice

Presence

Videoconf

Data

DirectoryServices Mobilit

y

Management and workflow

Online accounts eg Liquid AccountsOnline CRM (customer relationship management) eg

Sugar CRM Time management & tasks eg WrikeTo do lists eg Ta Da or Remember the milkJob scheduling eg Unfuddle

wrike.com

Collaboration

Project management eg BasecampCalendars eg Google calendar, Google Apps (covers

a range of services)Event scheduling eg Eventbrite, MeetomaticCollaborative workspace eg Zoho, Google Apps Online learning and training eg Moodle

Robin Good’s Mindmap of Best Online Collaboration Tools http://www.mindmeister.com/12213323

Community

Don’t neglect the pastoral and social aspect of workAvoid isolationFoster belongingKeep communication channels openBlogs, forums & social networks eg Ning or SocialGOLink with time management, file-sharing etc, with multi-purpose packages eg Google Wave (tba)

Choosing appsList your requirements (self-hosted open source software or SaaS?)Compare with package featuresTry before you buyStart smallAdd time for the learning curveRead reviews and ask around

Tools Directory from Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies http://www.c4lpt.co.uk/Directory/

Case study (Micro or SME)

App Used for

Liquid

Accounts

Online accounts

Sugar CRM Collaborative calendars, to do lists, CRM

Drupal CMS Website, extranet, online learning, document repository, community

Google Docs Document sharing

Pull and push for flexible working

Employer needs

Employee needsCustomer needs

MAXIMUM DRIVER

FOR FLEXIBLE WORKING

What are the key issues in managing flexible teams?

Assessing an individual’s suitability for flexible workingManaging requests for flexible workingH&S and legal implicationsOperational management

Culture & attitudesService deliveryEnvironment

Performance management and career developmentCommunication and training

Remote Manager ExerciseSplit into groups

Write out the tasks of a manager in managing their team (see eg previous slide)

Feedback and SWAP

Discuss the main problems

Remote Manager ExercisePart 2

Each group passes their list of issues on to another group for the second half of the exercise

In the same groups, work on the list of issues given to you to come up with solutions using technology or other tools or techniques

Feedback and SummariseEach “consultancy” feeds back to their “clients” their recommendations.

Summarise

Plenary and closeWhat do you need to know?

What do you need to do?

Who do you need to tell?

5 min

Online resources

www.beyond9to5.co.uk

Thank you

Thanks to