Monthly Archives: December 2012

The Virtual Manager: Cutting-Edge Solutions to Hiring, Managing, Motivating, and Engaging Mobile Employees

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If you are looking for a guide to managing a virtual workforce that expands upon human resources procedures beginning from hiring the right people, to helping them succeed in a virtual position, to helping someone transition back onsite if the arrangement doesn’t work out, The Virtual Manager by Kevin Sheridan does exactly that. This book opens up with a thorough explanation of the advantages of having a virtual workforce (e.g., the business case – enhancing the ability to recruit and retain talent as well as increasing worker productivity). However, it also addresses the inherent challenges of effective communication.

Like other books on telework I’ve read, Sheridan then explains the traits and characteristics of people who are likely to succeed as virtual employees. I agree with much of what he says here. However, in the section on interviewing, he states that successful candidates would indicate that they “expect to keep normal business hours,” (p. 64) and that an answer such as “I work best at night” (p.65) is a red flag. This is an issue that I would like to have explained further so that this can be reconciled with the section on working hours towards the end of the book (pp. 192-193). In this latter section, Sheridan makes it clear that it would be ideal to allow employees to work when they are the most productive (as long as other conditions of employment such as having to interact directly with customers is not impacted). This is followed by his support for having a Results-Only Work Environment (such that productivity rather than hours worked is important) especially where a remote work system is concerned.

Sheridan emphasizes that managers need to look out for perceptions of unfairness among onsite staff and ensure that fairness with regard to policies and procedures (e.g., how would salaries be adjusted, due to change in cost of living, if a virtual employee relocates). However, by having employees understand that working offsite is a privilege that can be revoked (p. 68) a scenario is set up in which employees may then come to view onsite work as beneath offsite work as other telework authors have cautioned. Yes, there should be a procedure in place to reinstate employees back onsite if the arrangement does not work out, but perhaps “privilege” isn’t the right word.

Despite the inconsistencies noted, The Virtual Manager, is still a great guide for thinking about human resources policies and procedures. Sheridan demonstrates great understanding of employee engagement and distinguishes this from employee satisfaction. “Satisfaction is contentment with the organization, whereas engagement is taking the initiative to make the organization exceptional” (p. 78). Moreover, he understands why engagement is of utmost importance where virtual employees are concerned.

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Having finished some books on managing virtual workers, I’ve come to realize that there is some content overlap. All thoroughly address the leaders’ and managers’ roles and responsibilities as well as the process through which they can develop and maintain an organizational culture that supports a telework arrangement – i.e., one built upon trust, frequent and effective communication, clear expectations, and accountability. For the sake of avoiding repetition, I’ve decided not to go into heavy detail here as all authors appear to agree about the important components of such an organizational culture.

I’m starting with Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams by Kimball Fisher and Mareen Fisher because this book goes in-depth into some specific areas not covered in the others I’ve read. In particular, they stressed the importance of understanding how to set up a functional, cross-cultural team and explained the problem of cross-cultural miscommunication. This spoke to me as I’ve experienced this issue only recently, and this is a subject I will expand upon in a future post. The authors point out that there is greater potential for cultural differences to emerge when working with team members dispersed around the world. They also correctly state that the problem is that one cannot effectively become an expert on another person simply by picking up and reading a book about that person’s culture because it is highly unlikely that a written summary of a culture describes everything. Additionally, the people in any given region will differ from each other culturally due to many other factors – e.g., socioeconomic status, education level, life experiences, gender, age, etc.   Thus, the authors provide guidelines on observing cultural sensitivity as well as emphasize how important it is to establish an organizational culture that will bring virtual team members together in such a way that they will collaborate effectively.

Manager’s Guide to Virtual Teams not only provides guidelines on effective use of various information technology tools (with consideration of etiquette) but also instruction on how managers can preemptively help their virtual team members understand business and finance principles (as virtual workers don’t have as much opportunity to pick these up compared to traditional, office workers). This book also addresses the nuts and bolts of effective communication and feedback and explains how to use tools for creative problem solving (Force Field Analysis; Weighted Criteria Analysis; Stop, Start Continue Exercise; Brainstorming; Creative Brainstorming; Reverse Brainstorming; and Brainwriting). The authors conclude with chapters on effective performance management which includes procedures for goal-setting, effective decision making using the consensus method in particular, exercises for team building, and tips for maintaining work-life balance.

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The 1997 edition of The Information Age: An Anthology on Its Impact and Consequences, edited by David S. Alberts and Daniel S. Papp, was made available in pdf format and downloadable for free online. Click here to attain a copy. Updated editions (for 2004 and 2012) are available, however I wanted to check this copy out first and compare it to more recent editions later. As it turns out, I think that the information and predictions in the 1997 edition are still relevant and do a great job of explaining the Information Age’s impact on the way we work and live, job market trends, and how societal institutions will be shaped. This anthology is jam-packed full of interesting information, so this post is divided into 4 parts accordingly.

Part 1: The Information and Communication Revolution

In Chapter 1, Thomas A. Stewart provides an overview of the Information Age and describes the challenges it poses to individuals’ and organizations’ ability to learn and adapt. Essentially, the Information Age is characterized by an economy in which knowledge and communication are emphasized over natural resources and physical labor as the predominant sources of wealth. Note some of the advantages of trading in knowledge compared to trading in traditional goods and services: low entry barriers in terms of start-up capital as well as the ability to distribute products and services electronically. Stewart also addresses the possible magnitude of impact this latest period of technological advancement will have on our way of life. George Bennett, chairman of the Symmetrix consulting firm poses a what-if scenario, “If two percent of the population can grow all the food we eat, what if another two percent can manufacture all the refrigerators and other things we need?” (p. 5). Although a more definitive estimate of impact is not available, analysts agree that this most recent technological revolution is set to “dwarf” preceding revolutions in information and communication technology (e.g., telegraph, telephone, radio, television, etc.).

For those who are interested in how an information age is defined, Frank Webster poses interesting questions in Chapter 4. He covers technological, economic, occupational, spatial, and cultural definitions, and it is the last one that interests me the most. Indeed the cultural marker for an information age seems predicated on quantitative rather than qualitative measures of the supply of information in society. Those interested in a further discussion about the implications of the rise in bad information can turn to Chapter 6 where Joel Achenbach covers the possible how’s and why’s of its increasing prevalence with consideration of its sources.

It is important to keep in mind that this information technology comes with pluses and minuses that come to bear on our work-lives. In Chapter 5, Andrew Kupfer provides a thorough analysis of what this means for the future of work. The magnitude of the impact is expressed in the passage on pages 72-73:

Now information technology is poised to alter the scope of human intercourse, and the familiar combination of promise and dread makes itself felt once again — with an urgency seldom seen in the two centuries since the Industrial Revolution. The new technology holds the potential to change human settlement patterns, change the way people interact with each other, change our ideas of what it means to be human.

Information technology will have the power to reverse what may have been an aberration in human history: the industrial model of society.

… wired technology will obliterate the significance of two of the great symbols of the Industrial Revolution, the train and the clock, and along with them the idea that society can organize everything to run on set schedules. The temporal shift this technology permits — even demands — is likely to be its most profound and enduring effect.

Essentially, information technology, through its facilitation of 24-hour business spanning multiple time zones, has set the stage for the decoupling of work from a singular location (the office) and time-shift for a substantial contingent of white-collar workers. Many of us occasionally engage in this practice or know someone who does: travel to work and back home again for the regular 8-to-5 or 9-to-5 shift, then staying up to some ungodly hour in order to collaborate with colleagues via Skype on the other side of the world. It was when I first heard of someone having to stretch her work schedule this way that I realized that the one-size-fits-all method of setting work schedules does not make sense anymore. As described by Kupfer, the rise of a just-in-time workforce that comes together virtually and collaborates on projects of varying lengths is also likely. Finally, a great proportion of knowledge workers will be able to live wherever their tastes and preferences dictate. However, Kupfer states that it is difficult at this point to speculate on the nature of future settlement trends.

The Engagement Equation: Leadership Strategies for an Inspired Workforce

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In The Engagement Equation: Leadership Strategies for an Inspired Workforce, authors Christopher Rice, Fraser Marlow, and Mary Ann Masarech provide a thorough guide for organizational leaders interested in improving work engagement. At the outset, they establish that engagement is a unique construct that is distinguishable from satisfaction, motivation, and commitment. Furthermore, employee engagement is an individualized equation expressed as the combination of maximum satisfaction for the individual and maximum contribution for the organization. From there, they discuss particular industries (e.g., where there is a high degree of interaction with customers) in which employee engagement particularly impacts results. Additionally, the authors caution against assuming measures that have increased engagement in one geographic region would similarly increase engagement in another.

A discussion about building a culture that supports engagement follows. The importance of helping employees identify their strengths, weaknesses, and needs in order to ensure job-fit, culture-fit, and suitable working conditions is highlighted.  Providing career coaching and development services also goes a long way to help employees envision a career that mutually addresses the needs of both individuals and the organization.

Finally, The Engagement Equation covers possible pitfalls of implementing strategies to increase engagement. First, the authors warn that maintaining a high engagement culture is an ongoing effort. In other words, sporadic interventions here and there will not create the results desired. Secondly, organizational leaders, managers, down to everyone in the organization must be on board and responsible for their own engagement level. It takes engaged individuals to foster a culture of engagement. Finally, leaders must be prepared to follow through with an action plan in a timely manner once the initial engagement level assessment is taken. The authors caution against utilizing an engagement survey and not following-up with action as the interest in increasing engagement may then come across as disingenuous leading to even higher levels of employee disengagement. Alternative means of making the initial engagement assessment are provided.

It is difficult to provide an adequate summary of all the useful points made in this book. It provides a clear, comprehensive, and practical guideline for beginning and continuing an action plan to foster a culture of engagement. Furthermore, it will dispel some preconceived notions of how implementation of such a program should proceed (e.g., the assumption that it is most beneficial to start assessment with an employee engagement survey).

The Work Revolution: Freedom and Excellence for All

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Julie Clow’s The Work Revolution: Freedom and Excellence for All is an engaging and practical guide written for organizational leaders and thinkers interested in the issue of optimizing organizational structure and culture to suit business needs in the Information Age. Towards the beginning of the book, she provides a comprehensive self-assessment quiz that covers various facets of the organization’s philosophy, the rules, leadership, team and coworkers, and the leader’s role. A chart is provided to record scores and the rating criteria is clear-cut, showing specific areas of strengths and weaknesses. The remainder of the book expands upon the subject matter covered in the quiz providing suggestions for improvement in the process.

Holding true to the title, the main thrust of The Work Revolution is about how the power structure and communication channels in the traditional, hierarchical organization must be reorganized in order for it to thrive in the Information Age. Drawing upon her experiences at Google, Clow makes a compelling case for empowering and trusting employees with more autonomy in a results-oriented organizational culture (including allowing employees to adapt their job to their strengths and energy levels – e.g., they have more control over when they work, their working environment, and the tasks they perform) so that they can better contribute.

Clow demonstrates the value of more emphasis on grassroots decision-making through examples of how great ideas and solutions have come from crowd-sourcing. When there is so much information to process and so many decisions to be made, as is increasingly the case during the Information Age, it is more efficient for leaders to deal with only the most critical decisions. This is facilitated by creating an organizational structure and culture that empowers all individuals to deal directly with as many problems as they can rather than going through the process of attaining approval from gatekeepers and having this information travel in the traditional, linear fashion to the top. To this end, she offers details on how organizational leaders can craft guiding principles that enable employees to understand and make decisions that are consistent with the organization’s mission and values.

The Work Revolution is a great go-to source for case examples of organizations that innovate and thrive as well as a great starting point for planning the optimization of organizational structure and culture.

Nine Shift: Work, Life, and Education in the 21st Century

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By William A. Draves and Julie Coates, Nine Shift: Work, Life, and Education in the 21st Century opens up with some historical overview about the transition from the Agrarian Age to the Industrial Age in the United States and compares this to the transition from the Industrial Age to the Information Age. The authors aptly noted cultural resistance to new technology and transitions in work systems both at the turn of the 1800s and at the time of the writing of their book. In doing so they present interesting and entertaining side stories such as L. Frank Baum‘s writing of The Wizard of Oz to convey pro-Agrarian values and resistance to encroaching Industrialization.

Draves’ and Coates’ anticipation that the transition from an Industrial Age work system to an Information Age work system would occur in a 20-year period similar to the transition from Agrarian Age to Industrial Age has not come to pass. However, their comprehensive and compelling list of arguments in favor of telework, an organizational structure that emphasizes fluid, flexible information networks instead of a hierarchical pyramid, and written over oral communication are, in my opinion, the most valuable information to consider in this book. They make a wonderful case, for the good of businesses (noting costs beyond the price of real estate) and employee productivity (allowing employees to choose the time and place for peak performance), to “stop building buildings.” The remainder of this book covers the ways in which the authors see the Information Age impacting other facets of societal life: motivating people to value their own time so that they come to prefer the use of trains over cars,  increasing consideration of whether or not space is well-utilized or not (using 18 hours per day as the threshold), and prevalence of online learning changing the roles of teachers and students.

For those unfamiliar with the topic of the Internet’s potential to change the way we work and live, this book is a great place to start. It is easy to understand and contains interesting, entertaining stories that underline their points. The book is also written from a personal perspective as the authors recount how they successfully reduced their commercial real estate expense and continued operating virtually.