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Workshop 5
DETERMINING THE PROGRAM'S SCOPE
by Bob Fortier, President
InnoVisions Canada
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Rarely do teleworking organizations offer telework to everyone
who asks. That's not only because of operational, financial,
human and practical considerations, but also because not everyone
is suited to telework. So where and how do you draw the line?
Knowing where to draw these lines, that is, deciding the scope
your program, can be tricky. If you don't do it right, your
selection process can do more harm than good.
That's why this month's installment of the TELEWORK AMERICA
series is looking at determining the scope of telework programs.
We will examine issues such as whether to offer telework to
everyone, how to select the right people, and how to manage
the selection process fairly and transparently. We will also
look at whether or not to start with a pilot program. For
some of these issues, we have used the Bank of Canada as an
example.
Organizational Components
and Telework
Unless you are prepared to let everyone telework, you will
need to decide early on in the design of your telework program,
which parts of your organization are best suited to telework
and how to select teleworkers. If you don't arrive at some
reasonable selection methodology, you risk all kinds of problems,
from operational discord to resentment and even union challenges.
While it's not a good idea to slice it by gender, race or
creed, there are many ways to divvy up the pie. For example,
you can decide along unionized versus non-unionized employees,
or by groupings of knowledge workers. You can decide by organizational,
business or geographical lines (for example, those working
on the selenium rectifier program, in the finance group, or
in the west-coast branch). Alternatively, you can slice it
by job category, by employee performance ratings, or by 'need'
(for example, those who 'need' to telework to accommodate
illness, disability, work/life balance issues, or with travel
difficulties). If your telework program starts with a pilot,
it may de facto eliminate certain workers or portions of your
organization.
So what is the best way to slice it? Unfortunately, there's
no easy answer. There are just too many types of work, organizational
structures, job types and cultures etc. My advice is to find
a way that is equitable, transparent and fair, and if you
are unionized, work with your unions. They may provide some
valuable suggestions. To retain flexibility in your approval
criteria, you are better off basing your decision on general
overriding principles rather than hard and fast rules such
as "managers can't telework", or, "no full-time
telework".
To illustrate, the telework program in one West Coast organization
disallowed full-time telework. When the wife of one of their
star programmers (whose job was fully teleworkable) transferred
to another city, he decided to relocate with his wife and
asked his company for permission to telework from the new
location. Because this implied teleworking five days a week,
his organization refused -- surprising inflexibility given
the shortage of high tech workers. Our star quit on the spot
and found another job in the new city almost immediately.
Jobs/Functions Generally
Compatible with Telework
The growth of telework is directly proportional to the growth
of information technology. There appears little doubt that
continuous improvements in information technology will increase
the numbers of 'teleworkable' jobs or parts of jobs.
However, certain jobs will always lend themselves more easily
to telework than others. At first glance, certain jobs in
sales, consulting, writing, and research can appear as safe
bets for telework, while others that require constant unscheduled
meetings are not. However, it's a mistake to go solely by
job title. If you do, you'll likely qualify many workers whose
jobs are not teleworkable. You will almost certainly eliminate
some jobs or parts of jobs that are perfect for telework.
One large organization that employs dockworkers provides
a perfect example. In designing its telework program, the
organization briefly considered selecting teleworkers by job
title, which most certainly would have disqualified the dockworkers
from telework. Luckily that the organization found a better
way to select teleworkers because, as it turns out, some of
the dockworkers actually telework from time to time. How?
Well, for example, at performance appraisal time, some of
the supervisors (also dockworkers) want to telework in the
quiet and privacy of their homes. Some injured dockworkers
can now do a bit of paperwork at home while waiting for their
injuries to heal, etc.
The very best job-selection approaches drill down beyond
titles and first appearances and judge each case individually,
based on the tasks themselves. They look at whether the job,
or parts of it, can be performed remotely, even if it is for
only part of the time. An overriding consideration in approving
requests for telework should be plain common sense and the
degree to which constant onsite physical presence is required.
In an organizational setting, this usually translates to 'operational
feasibility".
Some organizations automatically prohibit or discourage managers
from teleworking. However, an increasing number of highly
successful managers are teleworkers themselves. In fact, many
of us in the telework profession know a CEO or two that telework
a good part of the time.
The Right Stuff: Teleworkers,
Jobs and Managers
For telework to function effectively, all participants need
to be able to identify characteristics that make up the right
job, the right employee and the right boss etc. Where applicable,
this is another area where your unions can help.
The Right Jobs
One of the prime considerations is the suitability of individual
jobs for telework. Telework simply won't work if the job,
or parts of it, cannot feasibly be carried out remotely. The
following can help you assess whether a particular job is
feasible for telework:
- Degree to which the work can be sent to and from the employee’s
home with ease, speed and confidentiality;
- How much face-to-face contact is required with managers,
colleagues, or clients, etc;
- How important it is to access equipment, materials, files
etc. that are situated only at the workplace;
- Compliance of the telework situation with security requirements;
and,
- Whether and how much the job requires Internet and remote
access capability.
The Right Teleworkers
Assuming the job is teleworkable, the next ingredient you
need is the right teleworker, one who is personally suited
for telework. Because not everyone is suited to telework,
you need to recognize some of the qualities that make a good
teleworker. This checklist should help you determine who is
and who is not suited to telework:
- Successful teleworkers tend to be independent, and do
not need constant supervision or feedback;
- They don't have a high need for continual social interaction
or for be with "the gang" at the office;
- They tend to be proven performers in their jobs (poor
performers are poor risks);
- The are apt to be self-motivated, well-organized and disciplined
in their approach to work;
- They share mutual trust with their managers;
- Except for occasional or emergency situations, they don't
mix telework with child-care or elder-care responsibilities;
- They have a good understanding of their own job requirements.
Can brand-new employees telework?
While not standard practice, more and more organizations
permit brand-new employees to telework from day one. Some
of these are recruited to work from other cities or even other
countries.
However, teleworkers generally work more effectively and
stand a better chance of success with telework if they are
already familiar with their work, their organizational culture
and with their colleagues. If co-workers are unfamiliar with
the teleworker, they may be less likely to assist them. In
addition, teleworkers may hesitate to contact people that
they don't know.
The Right Home Office
The right teleworker needs a suitable home office. It makes
little sense to telework if the employee's home workplace
is inappropriate. Telework may not be a great idea if your
spouse is a rock and roll musician whose band practices in
your home all day. Employees should ensure that their home
offices are well equipped with the right work tools, and that
they are safe, quiet and ergonomically sound.
The Right Boss
The wrong boss can set be a real detriment to even the best
teleworker. For example, command-and-control, military-style
managers are less likely to manage teleworkers effectively,
let alone approve telework situations in the first place.
Ironically, good telework managers are likely to be good managers
in any situation, whereas poor management styles are harder
to conceal in a telework environment.
One way to help ensure your managers have the right stuff
to become tele-managers is to assess their qualities, much
in the same way you would screen for a good teleworker. Good
tele-managers are usually skilled at supervision and communication
and tend to trust the integrity and professionalism of their
employees. They generally manage by objectives, agreed performance
standards and deadlines, and not by crisis, panic or reaction.
They also tend to evaluate performance by results rather than
by the clock or 'face time'. Furthermore, they tend to be
highly supportive of their teleworker IT requirements. Their
approach is generally flexible and understanding of employee
needs to balance work with personal life.
The Right Company
Some organizations are simply not ready for telework. Some
may be overly busy getting the job done to explore telework
and its productivity increasing capabilities. The expression
"too busy fighting alligators to think about draining
the swamp" comes to mind. Others have management teams
made up of graduates from Jurassic U. You know — they’re the
ones from whom telework myths originate, and whose typical
excuses for denying telework include:
- If we let you do it, we’ll have to let everyone do it;
- Telework is too new and we are not ready for it;
- I need my staff here where I can see them (confusing "close
supervision" with "good supervision");
- Telework can't work here - it would break up the team;
or,
- Teleworkers will goof off and not be as productive.
So how can you tell if an organization is ready for telework?
The best bets for telework include organizations that are
competitive, practical and open to new ways of carrying out
business. They likely rely on computers for much of their
work, and are keen to capitalize on the technological revolution.
They have a tendency to value flexibility and can see a link
between telework and morale; as well as between productivity
and attracting or retaining top talent. Chances are that a
good percentage of their workers do not always need to be
on site, and many of their jobs are 'teleworkable'. Finally,
they are more willing to support teleworkers with training
and orientation by providing them with the right equipment
and supplies to get the job done.
Assessing the Candidates
While telework can be a terrific option, not everyone is
suited for telework. Some people just don't have what it takes,
or find it too hard to adjust to the requirements of telework.
Choosing the perfect teleworker is not always easy. That's
one reason why many organizations appoint a telework coordinator
to handle the approval process. But whether or not you appoint
a coordinator, the decision to approve individual requests
should be based upon good management and common sense. However,
that's not enough.
Design and communicate approval guidelines
Unless you plan to allow anyone who asks to telework, you
should avoid raising people's expectations by making it clear
that not everyone will be able to participate. You should
also relate participation to pre-established and well-communicated
parameters and approval guidelines. Among other factors, these
guidelines should relate to some of the issues we covered
earlier such as the right employee, the right job and the
right boss, etc. But here are some other factors:
- Percentage of the employee's work that can be performed
from remote locations;
- The organization's capability to support and absorb change;
- The right mix of participants and job responsibilities;
- How many employees that you can afford to have off-site
at any one time.
- Extent to which the job requires face-to-face contact
with other employees or access to resources located in the
regular office;
- The organization's security requirements;
- Availability, suitability and affordability of IT resources
and support;
- The number of days the employee wishes to telework;
- Extent to which the candidate wishes to combining telework
with childcare or eldercare;
- How far away the employee lives, which can be a factor
if the organization frequently calls emergency meetings;
and,
- Suitability of the employee’s home office.
Inviting and assessing applications
The next step is to invite candidates to indicate their interest
in telework, preferably in writing. You can invite everyone
to apply if you wish. The Bank of Canada did just that. Brian
Auger, the Bank's Telework Coordinator says: "In our
Pilot Project we invited anyone to apply — a level playing
field model — with the key prerequisite being the staff member
and supervisor coming to an agreement."
But, what do you do if everyone wants to telework, but you
can't accommodate them all? Do you choose first come, first
serve or approve according to operational need? Do you go
by the job, or by the degree to which applicants are self-starters,
etc.?
A self-assessment questionnaire can greatly simplify the
process. This tool is a practical and palatable way to gather
information necessary for management decision-making. It can
also help candidates to compare themselves against the organization's
ideal and generic telework traits, as well as organizational
and operational requirements. In completing a self-assessment
questionnaire, most candidates will automatically gain a good
idea of their suitability and their chances of success. Self-assessment
questionnaires also show employees that their organization
trusts their judgement.
The Bank of Canada successfully employed self-assessment
questionnaires in implementing its telework program. "This
device really helped staff seriously examine their own real
interest in, and preparedness for telework -- better than
having someone else tell them." says Brian Auger. He
adds: "The self-assessment questionnaire produced, as
a beneficial byproduct for those who scored themselves low,
a checklist of what areas needed to be dealt with in order
to become a candidate for successful telework."
Managers should look at each candidate in relation to the
generic characteristics of successful teleworkers. As soon
as possible after you have decided, tell the applicants individually
whether they have been accepted.
Teleworking gone bad
Sometimes telework ceases to make sense in a particular environment.
For example, perhaps a major new project requires intense
on-site participation. Or possibly, there is a decline in
the quality of quantity of an employee's work. Or it could
be because the telework arrangement had a negative impact
on others in the work unit.
If the derailment is due to a performance problem, treat
it as you would any performance issue. It's important to take
immediate action to re-rail the situation. In some cases,
this could even include canceling the telework arrangement.
It is important to immediately communicate this in a candid,
but fair manner, and relate it to the performance requirements
of the job, operational requirements as well as to the parameters
of your telework program. Wherever possible, you should give
the teleworker an opportunity to correct the problem, while
advising that the arrangement will be terminated if there
is no improvement or change.
If the problem is due to an operational problem, try to work
out a pragmatic and operationally feasible solution, but if
you cannot find one, then telework may no longer be suitable
for that employee or work situation.
In any case, your program should clearly spell out that telework
can be terminated for operational or performance problems.
Brian Auger says: "At the Bank of Canada, each telework
agreement has an escape clause whereby either side can terminate
the agreement — with suitable notice. Fortunately, that's
never actually happened. In the few cases where the telework
arrangement ended, it was by mutual agreement."
Should You Always Start
with a Pilot Program?
Whether or not you start with a pilot or a full company-wide
program depends on many factors. Some of these include the
organization's size and business lines, its strategic goals,
its management team and culture, the way in which you implement
telework and the resources you can devote to startup etc.
Pilots have their place.
Risk-averse organizations find pilots an attractive and prudent
way to experiment with telework as a concept. Pilots can also
be a good option for organizations whose managers come from
Jurassic U in which the work environments are repressive and
mistrusting. Like a controlled experiment, a pilot can identify
what does and does not work for that particular organization
before a larger scale implementation. By giving an organization
a strong sense of the appropriateness of telework and the
likelihood of success, a pilot can allow an organization to
make any necessary changes before full-scale rollout.
If you decide to go with a pilot, try to include a varied
cross-section of jobs, people and business units. It's also
a good idea to look at the impact of telework on non-teleworking
colleagues.
Duration of pilot programs.
There is no magic duration for a telework pilot. However,
most of them typically last anywhere from six months to a
year or more. The Canadian Federal Government's pilot lasted
three years.
Is telework being piloted to death?
A few years ago, telework was not the proven win-win, minimal
cost situation that it is today. Pilots were the recommended
approach for organizations starting out with telework. But
telework has been around for some time, and formal evaluations
of telework programs in hundreds of large organizations, including
governments, banks and Fortune 1000s, have proven that telework
is no longer a brand-new, experimental and risky concept.
With all of this experience, a well-designed telework program
can be a win-win proposition right from the get-go and a pilot
may not be required in all cases. There are many advantages
to jumping right in. First, proceeding without a pilot can
send some positive messages that a pilot might not. For example,
a pilot can support the notion that telework is unproven and
might not proceed to full roll out. Because a pilot is usually
available only to some employees, it may worsen morale among
those considered ineligible. Pilots also take more time and
are often more costly.
If your strategic objective is to reap benefits of telework
as soon as possible, then a pilot will just delay the process.
It's often more effective to spend a bit more time designing
a good program and rolling it out to the entire organization.
If done right, you will not only save time and money, while
retaining flexibility, managerial control and risk management.
Ad hoc, short-term telework. While a sizeable amount of telework
takes place under formal organizational telework programs,
most telework takes place informally, the result of telework
under unofficial arrangements between supervisors and the
teleworkers. This reflects the reality that most organizations
do not have formal telework programs. But while telework can,
and does, usually work in most such informal settings, it
is nearly impossible to achieve the same level of maximized
benefits and minimized risks that formal programs do.
Informal telework often eases into organizations. In other
cases, it arises from quick decisions to deal with ad hoc
situations. For example, telework can apply in short-term
situations such as:
- Recovery-from-illness where telework (possibly combined
with part-time work) can accommodate employee-employer needs;
- Short-term caregiving for a child, spouse or relative;
- As an accommodation during pregnancy; and,
- During commuting or business disruptions due to emergencies
such as floods, fire, storms, earthquakes or even Y2K problems.
Conclusion
I hope you have found this look at the scope of telework
programs to be valuable exercise. We have examined many issues
including whether to offer telework to everyone, how to select
the right people, how to manage the selection process fairly
and transparently, and the pros and cons of starting with
a pilot. You should have gained a better idea of why you need
to 'draw the lines', and how and where to draw them to prepare
you for telework and maximize effectiveness and flexibility.
Bob Fortier is President of the
Canadian Telework Association
and of InnoVisions Canada He also sits on the
Board of the International Telework Association and Council
(http://www.workingfromanywhere.org).
Closing Remarks
We hope this Workshop in the TELEWORK AMERICA series is a
resource to you as you take the step toward implementing a
telecommuting program. Each month we will raise challenging
issues and share the expertise of our members with you.
Revisit this session as often as needed.
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