Telecommuting, Networking Here and Abroad

Telecommuting, Networking Here and Abroad
30th November 2009 written by Margo Rose
Recently, I had the opportunity to be a guest blogger at http://www.rceuro.com. What I’ve discovered is the issues that we consider critical here in the US are also relevant in the UK and Europe. Bridges are being crossed regularly. Bill Boorman is in the midst of planning another unconference, Trulondon 2. Several of my colleagues are going to be track leaders. This is incredibly exciting because as we share our experiences and best demonstrated practices, we begin to build new bridges over which we can cross for continued success. We live in a global business environment. Therefore, it makes sense to network with our colleagues abroad. What I hope to do is to learn more about what my colleagues in Europe are doing, while offering a window into my world as well. In so doing, we continue to grow, and strengthen our organizations in the process.

Twitter has opened new doors, built new bridges, and extended hands around the world. It is so moving to guest blog on other people’s blogs, particularly when I can reach global business colleages.
Today I was studying an article produced by http://shrm.org. Telecommuting is a compelling alternative in the global environment.

Considering we are working remotely more and more, it was interesting to read the following statistics. Employees report higher productivity and job satisfaction. This is what the data from this article reveled. I quote the following:

“When employees were asked about their time working remotely:

* 83 percent said their ability to communicate and collaborate with workers was the same, if not better, as when they worked on-site.
* 75 percent said the timeliness of their work improved.
* 69 percent reported higher productivity. Sixty percent of the time they saved via telecommuting they applied to work; the other 40 percent they applied to personal use.
* 67 percent of workers said the overall quality of their work improved.

Sixty-three percent of managers supervise more than one teleworking employee. The typical employee telecommutes two days per week, the survey found. When they are not telecommuting, the average round-trip commute varied according to the region where they live:

* United States and Canada, 30 miles.
* Asia-Pacific, 14 miles.
* Europe, 46 miles.
* Japan, 26 miles.
* Emerging markets, 16 miles. ”

SHRM is a valuable resource for research and trends. I am grateful for drawing upon this article to make a point. Telecommuting is going to shape the way we work. It’s not just a matter of a preference to work from home, nor an unwillingness to drive to the office.

What this article reveals (while it was based on a study done with Cisco employees) is that people are looking for new ways to work more efficiently and effectively. Telecommuting not only gives one the opportunity to deliver work around the country, but also builds bridges around the world.

I’m quite sure this will be fodder for discussion, and I welcome your comments.