Today more organizations are talking about telework than ever before. Many even describe specific examples of how telework is being used within their organization. However, there seems to be a reduction in the number of organizations that are prepared to make the investment in establishing a formal telework program. Instead, many organizations that initially are "serious" about telework decide to "back burner" the formal program as one of the first programs to go when budget cuts are made.
Why is this happening? Is this the best approach? Are organizations being more successful by encouraging "guerrilla" teleworking rather than formal programs?
It appears that most organizations have realized that telework is no longer just a fad but rather is a justifiable way of working. They have seen all the press coverage and the success stories and probably conceptually accept the concept for good environmental, personal and business reasons. Many managers however are only paying lip-service to the concept. Many of those who proudly talk about utilizing telework often result in less than 1% of their employees utilizing telework on a regular basis.
In contrast, those organizations that have invested in formal programs show significant penetration of teleworkers (usually approximately 5-10% of the eligible workforce). Organizations that have taken the formal approach usually have taken the appropriate steps to make the change "stick". They have communicated to employees and management about the advantages and disadvantages so that informed decisions can be made. They have worked with health and safety groups to ensure the home offices are safe and healthy environments for employees. They have worked with the human resources group to ensure telework is integrated into the other alternative work arrangements offered. They have worked with the facilities management group to ensure effective space sharing is utilized to allow the organization to realize the bottom-line benefits. Finally, they have worked with the information systems group to ensure the technology is appropriate for remote workers and to ensure future information systems take remote users into account.
In summary, the formalized program has involved a cross-functional team focused on ensuring success. This team communicates the telework program to the organization and understands that this level of change and the corresponding acceptance of these changes do not occur overnight -- it takes time. Those who take the more formalized approach do tend to be more successful.
If the formal approach is so logical and successful then why are many organizations not following it? Many organizations feel they can do this themselves. After all, what's involved? Send a PC and a modem home with an employee and they are all set. Try it out, if it works keep doing it and if it doesn't then stop. Sounds pretty simple!
The simplicity of the adhoc "guerrilla" teleworker approach is very misleading. Almost all organizations that have taken the formal approach comment on all the little details which they would have overlooked. They realize that the concept of working from home is a major change for the organization, the employees, the managers and society in general.
The "let's just do it" approach is often masking other problems within organizations. These often include reluctance of the senior management to make such major changes and the reluctance of middle managers to truly empower employees. The adhoc casual use of telework allows those in the organization who are demanding telework to do it while not taking a corporate-wide position on the concept. This leads to more confusion about how to implement telework and undoubtedly leads to organizations under-achieving on the potential benefits of telework.
The challenge for the next few years will be to keep informing organizations of the overall business benefits of telework. To show them the degree of change associated with such a program and to instill the confidence in the organization to effectively move forward to telework and other new ways of working.
The recommendation here is not to suggest that each organization needs to invest large sums of money to research, pilot and prove the telework concept. The concept has been proven over and over again by enough companies that you can surely find an example from your specific industry. The goal is to recognize the need to formalize your programs and recognize the degree of change. To put mechanisms in place to ensure your middle managers will see how teleworking helps to improve their organization and their individual ability to produce within their business unit. Once we start to formalize telework we take it out of the realm of being something only for a select few and make it available to a broader audience which should significantly increase the overall business benefits of the concept.
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