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Monday, May 3, 2004
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VOLUME 1
ISSUE 10
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Bunny Slippers or Ferragamos: The telecommuting dilemma
by Janet Roman
Picture this: you and your team are on your way to the boardroom to present a proposal to a client whom you hope will become your biggest account of the year. You turn to give a word of encouragement to your Senior Account Executive and notice that she is dressed in “Bootylicious” sweat pants and bunny slippers, and has the worst case of bed-head you’ve ever seen. Something not sound right here? What about the image of a woman in a Prada suit and Ferragamo pumps, with perfect hair and makeup, and sitting at a desk piled with coupons, O magazines, and the National Enquirer, with a backdrop showcasing dirty laundry and kid’s toys? You’ve just stepped into the Twilight Zone – or have you?
Working remotely has become increasingly common, as businesses struggle to keep top talent from leaving their organizations. Increasingly, business teams are comprised of people from around the country -- and the world -- collaborating on everything from proposal development to major systems implementations. In the wake of this wave, many remote workers are left to figure out how to be productive in this mix. The shift in thinking toward remote work has proven increasingly attractive to women in the workforce... but finding your way to productivity through the ambiguity can be tough.
From my exchanges with fellow WorldWIT members, I have learned that this is a subject near and dear to your hearts. My own story revolves around a local branch closure in my hometown, which resulting in my needing to make an office out of my spare bedroom. Voila! The telecommuter in me was released from its cage. Over the years, I‘ve learned a few tips that I hope will help others in the same situation – working remotely – better cope with the feeling of isolation that so often accompanies telecommuting.
How can you be a successful telecommuter? First, be honest with yourself. Telecommuting is not for everyone. It requires a high degree of self-motivation and self-discipline. If a careful self-examination convinces you that remote work is a good fit, consider the following ‘lessons learned’ that I hope will help you work effectively:
Just business in your office
When I first started telecommuting, I bought a new desk set for my spare bedroom/office to be – no small task in a two-bedroom condo, I can assure you. After a few weeks in that environment, it was clear to me that the bed had to go – the room was over-crowded and didn’t feel very professional. Also now gone from the office are my collections of O Magazine, Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator. I needed to craft a total business environment that was professional and meant only for work. And since I wasn’t using the spare bedroom anyway I felt good about donating the bedroom set to someone who could make good use of it.
Ask yourself this question – would I keep these magazines, articles of clothing, trinkets, etc. on my desk if I were in a ‘normal’ office? It’s not likely that you‘d find yesterday’s outfit strewn across your desk at central office – so why do it in your home office?
Let your office space reflect you
While many who go into a traditional office environment cannot hang art on the walls of their cubicles, telecommuters can! Celebrate the fact that you are Queen of the Castle, and decorate your office as you see fit. My own home office sports the Serenity Prayer, Van Gogh posters, Napa Valley scenes and a wonderful ocean view complements of Wyland. The scenery is nothing like I’d see in Pittsburgh, PA, but absolutely in sync with my home furnishings. Do what makes you feel serene and empowered. After all, it is your home!
Prepare, not primp
While it's tempting to roll out of bed and stroll down the hall to ‘work’ without showering, getting dressed, or brushing your teeth, resist the impulse to skip your morning routine; such behavior will ultimately be detrimental to your productivity. Instead, create a defined start and end to your work day. Take the time to fix the bed head, and ditch the bunny slippers and Bootylicious sweat pants. Putting on your ‘business face’ doesn’t necessarily mean that you get in full suit mode; just be casual, comfortable, and in the business mood. Ask yourself – would you meet a client like this? If not, reconsider your routine so that you are ready to make the most of the day.
Stop working at “quitting time”
So, you are right in the middle of a report and you notice it is 5:45 pm. What would you be doing if you were in an office? You would likely be more conscious of the time and would seek to get on with your evening, right? Things shouldn’t be any different in your home office. Working from home should still entail a clear (and consistent!) work schedule.
It may sound strange to those of you who have never telecommuted, but defining an end to the workday was my biggest struggle. Realizing that just because you work from home does not mean that you work 24/7 can be a bit of an adjustment. It’s easy to over-accommodate by never finding an end to the workday, but the burnout this can lead to is not worth the risk.
Find others like you
I cannot stress enough the importance of building a solid support network. You‘d be surprised how many people in your organization work remotely. I found a network of at least 5 women whom I know I can count on when I need to reach out for that electronic warm fuzzy. Of course there are men who work remotely, but there is something special about the care and concern that women provide for each other. (By the way, WorldWIT is a great place to find this community! It took only a few emails to members for me to find a whole network that can help me be more effective.)
Tech up, Baby
You really do need to be significantly self-sufficient to work remotely. If your company is large enough to have a Help Desk staff, get to know them very well – they will likely save you hours and anguish many times over.
Avoid getting a reputation as the problem employee by focusing on improving your “TQ” – technology quotient. If you are a small business or sole proprietor, you may want to look into networking with people who own technology support organizations. Buy that service package that is offered on your Dell-- do whatever it takes to ensure that technology glitches don’t derail your productivity. If you are not already there, DSL, Cable, or High Speed Wireless modem is a must. You need a high-speed connection for business these days, especially to facilitate the online meeting tools that will come to be indispensable.
Socialize your organization
As much as we’d like to believe that telecommuting has become wildly popular and universally accepted, the simple fact is that it hasn’t. Again and again, many of us learn the same lessons about better relations at work. Until those that work with you on a regular basis ‘get’ the fact that a meeting invitation from you is a request for a conference call, you will need to be that gentle reminder. Use every tool available to facilitate communications. Companies like Web-Ex specialize in helping teams connect through technology. Microsoft NetMeeting is now a standard feature of Windows and can greatly enhance your remote meeting experience. When the team excludes you because “you won’t get much out of not being here”, let them know that the phone will allow you to hear them just fine, and that if they will Net Meeting you in, you will be able to see the presentations as well as anyone physically the room.
Working from a home office can be a very rewarding experience. It does take that little bit of extra attention to things you may have not considered before, but the paybacks are absolutely worth it. Just think, you never have to worry about co-workers microwaving popcorn at 10 am, or not using their ‘cube voice’. If you develop the right rapport, you can still be included in the team lottery tickets and football pools! It is all just a matter of working out the logistics. Hopefully, this article has given you some pointers to improve your productivity…now, kick off those slippers, and get to work!
Janet has over 12 years' experience in technology, particularly in consulting. At present, she works for Keane, Inc., a global IT service firm helping clients use technology to optimize their business performance. Janet is active in WorldWIT and in other organizations geared toward technology, women’s interests and Learning and Organizational Development.
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Copyright © 2004 WorldWIT, Inc.. All rights reserved.
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