|
 As companies add more virtual teams of off-site workers to their rolls, their mistakes are becoming expensive lessons that other companies can avoid. And their successes are evolving into a blueprint for the most cost-effective use of virtual teams of workers.
A recent Telework Coalition survey of employers cited the advantage of having virtual employees who, because the virtual team system already was established, were able to “return” to work immediately following the 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina tragedies. Because they are contract workers or on call as just-in-time staff, there also is the obvious cost-saver of not having to absorb the cost of medical benefits, paid time off and traditional office overhead. Most virtual workers today come equipped with their own laptops, cell phones and other essentials.
Studies also show productivity is higher, on average, among virtual workers who don’t have to engage in office commutes becoming longer each year and because they can focus on the task at hand, rather than waste project time at on-site meetings.
Three new trends will fuel continued growth in virtual workforces.
1. Higher transportation costs are making working from home more attractive. Among many creative virtual team members who traditionally tend to be politically liberal, telecommuting also has become a way to boast that they are measurably reducing their “carbon footprint” in this era of global warming concerns.
2. Personal technology costs have lessened, making it more affordable to have a laptop, Internet access, email and cell phones for 24/7 availability.
3. Plus, Baby Boomer and Generation X demographics are working to fueling virtual worker growth. The emerging Generation X demographic (late 20s to 40s) is more independent than earlier generations and less likely to see one 9-5 job as a career goal in the face of continued layoffs, disappearing pensions and the higher number of workers changing jobs often. At the same time, more aging Baby Boomers (40s, 50s and now early 60s) without pensions and less attractive to many employers because of their age and expense are making themselves available as virtual team members. Generation X virtual workers like to call themselves independent, while Boomers prefer the term consultants. Consider this language when crafting ads for virtual teams.
You can benefit from the millions already spent by major corporations on their learning curve to create your best virtual teams. The Wall Street Journal in a June 16 report cited extensive research by the London Business School and their own interviews with companies such as BP, Nokia and Ogilvy & Mather. They found that building a team based on telecommuters who already know each other could produce higher results from workers used to working with each other with diverse skills toward a single goal.
They found that creating a shared online resource is productive for two reasons: it lets virtual team members who don’t know each other become acquainted, and it’s a brainstorming resource for team members working together on a project. This online community was deemed more important in some virtual worker surveys than on-site general meetings or social get-togethers in building loyalty to the corporate mission and encouraging a focus on individual project goals.
Smart Tips:
• Build Your Virtual Team Incrementally. If you are starting from scratch, ask a “virtual” team member for recommendations to create a system founded in part by telecommuters who already know each other and are used to working together. Ask for examples of past results from working together on projects before you make your decision.
• Create an Online Office Cooler. The advertising firm Ogilvy & Mather set up Truffles, an online resource for virtual team members to share ideas, get to know each other, and also to use the “office cooler” to come together during tight deadlines to troubleshoot and speed completion times. (For more information about the Truffles approach, go to www.stepping-stone.org/documents/Truffles.doc.pdf.
• Don’t Hover. If you’re a micro-manager, appoint a more democratic subordinate to oversee your virtual team. The most successful telecommuters inherently are highly independent and will view a constant barrage of cell phone calls and e-mails an intrusion on their ability to focus on getting the job done. Consider naming a veteran virtual worker with more experience and personal knowledge of virtual team psychology as your subordinate to oversee the team.
• Be Flexible. If you or your designated subordinate finds that a virtual team member is not performing well without constant supervision, consider replacing that worker. If a virtual team member is acting bored, first push the edge of the envelope with a more challenging assignment that might benefit you more than immediately replacing a team member who may just be in need of the stimulation of a more challenging role.
• Encourage Office Cooler Friendships. Online conversations can seem like a frivolous waste of time to traditional employers who demand a work-only focus, but conversations about outside interests and skills can trigger innovation when it relates back to the company. BP encouraged off-topic conversations, and the interest expressed by environmentally minded staff gave BP a jump ahead of other energy companies in the now popular strategy to “go green” with marketing strategies.
• Consider Virtual Interns. Virtual interns are becoming more popular, as more computer savvy college students make themselves available for virtual assignments in their fields of study. An advantage is that you can shop the country instead of your local college for a free or low-pay intern, and another is that you will have more information on how a potential on-site employee is likely to perform on the job (and perform with your existing staff) before making the hire.
Marketing Strategist & Productivity coach, Ruth Klein, publishes the ‘Ruth Klein Report’ bi-monthly with 7,000+ subscribers. If you’re ready to build your brand, jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have a life, get your great tips and ideas now at Productivity Coach Ruth Klein's website, http://www.ruthklein.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ruth_Klein |
