Yet Another Reason to Build a Case for Telecommuting
Yes, we know. We’re preaching to the choir. Do you really need another justification for your web worker lifestyle? Yes, you do.
Business continuity and disaster preparedness (or COOP in government-speak, short for “continuity-of-operations program”) is yet another great reason to foster a web-working culture, even in the most traditional businesses. FCW.com, the online arm of Federal Computer Week, reported this week about a recent Juniper Networks survey of federal, state, and local government computing professionals that noted in part:
41 percent [of survey respondents] think that telework is so critical to COOP that all employees should telework occasionally as a form of COOP preparation.
This is key: you can’t know your “emergency only” remote access plans will work unless people are using them on a regular basis to do their regular work.
A lot of companies in the Bay Area discovered the weaknesses in their remote access technologies during the commuting crisis a few months ago. Those companies with robust telecommuting policies and technologies in place were able to continue operations without a hitch, even with their employees facing (and rejecting) multi-hour commutes until the highway repair was completed.
So, let’s review: Making web working technologies and techniques a part of your regular workplace routine is good because
- People like telecommuting
- You offer a great benefit without a huge cost
- You can reduce staff turn-over
- You can compete for the best talent no matter where that talent may wish to reside
- You help your employees save money on gas or public transportation costs
- You help save the environment
- It can help you stay in business in the event that some unforeseen disaster makes it impossible for your workers to schlep to your offices.
What’s not to love?
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Another great reason is that people who telecommute also tend to serve as thier own IT department/Equipment Managers.
They tend to respect and take care of their computers more then people at an office–since they have ownership of the machine.
I have actaully worked in an office where a report was not done and the reason given to me was that “the printer was out of paper, and they have requested more from the office supply department–who was at lunch and had the key to the supply closet”.
Those sort of things don’t seem to happen to telecommuters.
Good Article…can I expand the scope a little.
For the people I manage, I would like to promote the idea of a pCOOP – Personal COOP plan for in offices as well as at home.
So far, this means relatively simple precautions against:
+ PC Loss
++ Using the corporate backup solution for your data
++ Using Yahoo Tool bar for bookmarks and the like – accessible from any machine on the net.
++ Use of Web Mail Account
++ In fact any other web based system rather than rely solely on PC installed packages – OK with PC as main package but be able to drive Google Docs say so you can get things done there when your PC is not available. Invariable, learning a package under pressure leads to needless increase in stress and a poorer result.
+ Printer Loss
++ Having two or three different Printers already set-up and tested (for those vital printouts and your normal printer is broke
+ Network Loss
++ Having a USB Key to hand for the team when the Network is unavailable so you are able to transfer files and data round for immediate team members
++ Cellular Data Card to share amongst a team to get vital communications out
++ Simple USB/Centronics cable to enable you to connect a computer to a Printer directly.
That’s what I have come up with so far – please add to as required…..
Apologies to the Web savvy readers for the appalling ignorance of HTML……
BTW, In Europe, I have also heard COOPs (“continuity-of-operations program”) termed Business Continuity Plans.
Many thanks, Neil Good.
also, telecommuters just tend to do more. Perhaps because they’re in a more relaxed environment.
Companies that don’t embrace the ability to telecommute also are really turning off the younger new hires who are not only web literate, but will expect to use web based tools in their everyday lives and job.