Post by Laurie Simonson
The New Normal: Telecommuting
Wikipedia defines telecommuting as a work arrangement in which employees enjoy flexibility in working location and hours. In other words, the daily commute to a central place of work is replaced by telecommunication links.
As I communicate with other businesses, it has become clear that telecommuting or alternative work schedules are becoming more and more common. Our firm now has 35% of our employees on an alternative work schedule, which included telecommuting. The benefits of these arrangements have been vast, including:
- Increased productivity due to eliminated commute time
- Decreased involvement in office gossip
- Reduced stress
- Fewer disruptions in the work day
The telecommuters at our firm have worked hard to make this arrangement work and have developed systems to improve efficiency and communication, increasing both quality and productivity. As an added benefit, employees who couldn’t get into work due to a snowy Minnesota day, could work from home and not miss a beat. Not only did we not see a drop in productivity, the employee experienced reduced stress and risk of a potential accident. We have concluded that our telecommuters are happier employees as outlined in the article, “The Real Reason Telecommuters Are Happier”. Click here for the full article.
According to the June 2011 report on the State of Telework in the U.S., businesses need to remember that they benefit from telecommuting as well. Providing telecommuting as an option to employees, will:
- Improve their ability to recruit and retain the best people
- Increase productivity
- Decrease space requirements, absenteeism and energy costs
- Enable employee’s performance to be measured on what they accomplish rather than the number of hours they work
Whether we like it or not, telecommuting is the new normal. In 2009, Forrester Research reported, “more than 34 million U.S. adults telecommuted at least occasionally”. This is a significant number that cannot be ignored. Not all businesses are ready to make this culture shift to managing a remote workforce. It is not easy to overcome the issue of mistrust regarding whether employees are “really working”. In addition, not all businesses have the tools, training and technology needed to support the remote employee. Know this, we are currently seeing a new era of telecommuting that will impact how we work and become productive in the 21st century.
To receive assistance developing alternative work schedules, telecommuting policies, procedures or agreements, do not hesitate to contact me at lsimonson@fa-cpa.com.
Create an Employee Retention Strategy Today
The outlook for hiring employees is improving, making employee retention one of the top priorities for business owners. Over the past few years, businesses have been challenged during the economic downturn. Management teams have worked hard to streamline processes, save dollars from the budget and look for ways to be competitive in the marketplace. Throughout this time, hiring and retaining staff has been put on the back burner. Now, all indications lead us to believe that employees have their eye on the economic recovery with one goal in mind: getting a new job. As the job situation improves, small to mid-size businesses could be the hardest hit. This adds a new challenge to business owners and one that needs attention before it is too late.
Social Networking & Your Business
Are you fed up with hearing about Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn? Will you be glad when this “fad” is over with? Do you avoid discussions about using social networking for business?
Much like when email first came into existence, it is natural to disregard social networking’s power and influence. It is natural to see the negative attributes and not the benefits. For many of us, social networking is foreign territory and it is difficult to see its impact on our business.
The Power of a Handwritten Note
A week after Thanksgiving, I decided that it was time to do a little holiday decorating. This required me to move boxes out of the storage room to get at my decorations. In this process, I noticed a medium size storage box and my curiosity got the best of me. Upon opening this box, I immediately became absorbed by its contents. It was filled with treasures that stirred my memory and left me feeling tremendously nostalgic. As I sifted through special letters, cards and photos, I came across a handwritten note from a boss that I had over twenty years ago. The note was filled with words that expressed his gratitude, respect and admiration. His words once again inspired me and warmed my heart. I tucked this note back into the box for safe keeping.
With cell phones, email and texting, a handwritten note seems to be a lost art in business. While I love all our new technology, a handwritten note can be a powerful tool that can leave a lasting impression. To help make writing that note easier, I now keep a stack of note cards and stamps close at hand. This is a good reminder for me to write a note to a special customer, vendor, or employee for their excellent service, dedication, or for going above and beyond.
6 Ways to Improve Your “Too Busy Mindset”
The Holiday season is upon us and peace is often the last thing we feel during this time of year. Our schedules are already busy enough, so adding in the stress of holiday activities just adds to our overwhelming feeling of being “too busy”. Business owners and professionals constantly tell me that there is not enough time in a day. I concur with this and definitely have times when I feel just “too busy”. However, it’s at this time that I remind myself that this is a mindset. Without changing this mindset, the excuse “I am too busy” can spread like a disease in both my professional and personal life. Instead, I work at changing my thoughts and habits in order to help me accomplish more.
