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Making telecommuting happen: A guide for telemanagers and telecommuters
The final part deals with managing change which is difficult, and the larger the organization the more difficult it is to change a corporate culture. As stated in a paper by David Wheeler of The Body Shop, effective communications are vital. A further paper makes the point that this must be linked to defining the vision needed to implement change. This is followed by a paper from the Environmental Advisor of ICI in which the environmental manager is seen as a change agent. This is a most important approach as my experience when working for large organizations is that unless there is a change agent who understands the existing culture, nothing happens. The final paper deals with methods to reduce waste. This is a most important area as waste reduction saves money and reduces the impact on the environment. All the papers in this important book are worth reading but what could be of most value are the papers in section three where top managers describe the developments of environmental policies in their companies and it is encouraging to see that there is a great deal of common ground here. This section could also act as a guide for organizations who have not yet developed environmental policies. The book also includes executive summaries as well as many tables and charts which makes it easy to use for reference. It should be on the desks of all senior managers in large and medium sized organizations as well as those of executives in small companies. BRIANBURROWS
Futures Information
Associates
Making Telecommuting Happen: A Guide for Telemanagers and Telecommuters, JACKM. NILLES, Van
Nostrand Reinhold
(1994), 196 pp., E21.50.
Telecommuting-moving the work to the workersshould be on every Corporate Organization’s Board Room Agenda and is a subject of considerable interest to all involved with planning the future. This book is a valuable contribution to the available and growing literature on the subject. It will be of special interest to those involved in planning, implementing and practising the introduction of Flexible Working. Many of us dream dreams or create visions but few of us see those dreams and visions become reality. This book is the product of more than twenty years of thinking about and testing Telecommuting, a term coined by the author in the early 1970s. It is rich in practical advice about how to make Telecommuting happen and covers in considerable depth the essential elements involved. The book is divided into two sections, the first and larger section dealing with issues from a management perspective, the second covering the specifics for the Telecommuter in preparing to work from home. After defining the terms and concepts of decentBook Reviews and Review Briefs
ralization and illustrating the various flavours of Telecommuting from home based through various types of Telecentre, an in-depth coverage is given of the process involved in selecting suitable jobs and people. Detailed methodologies are set out to help the reader through all the various issues involved in establishing the extent to which specific jobs, or parts of jobs, are suitable. Consideration of personal characteristics such as self discipline, motivation, etc., is also addressed with the emphasis squarely placed on suitably screened volunteers. Here it is stressed that Telecommuting should be regarded as neither a privilege nor a penalty-but a different way of working. An important conclusion is also drawn in the chapter dealing with the work site location, that when taking all potential sites into consideration, e.g. home, telework centres, and principal offices, between 70-85% of employees could telecommute. There is an interesting although fairly general chapter dealing with technology. It draws attention to future development trends and the likely requirements of different types of worker, from routine tasks through to general management and more mobile staff. Management resistance (How do you know they’re working?), still the largest single constraint on the acceptance of Telecommuting, is addressed head-on in chapter 5, with convincing arguments and many positive suggestions on the real issues of managing Telecommuters. Further helpful and specific advice is given on the aspects of planning, training and the need to clarify advice on rules and regulations up front. The final chapter in part 1 draws attention to the need to measure results and sets out examples and ways of approaching this process. This is dealt with in several ways including the impact on work effectiveness and environmental considerations such as pollution and energy conservation. When confronted with business benefits such as: 0 an annual financial impact of, say, a 12% improvement in productivity, and ??
the potential modation,
to eliminate
one third of office accom-
few CEO’s can afford to ignore the potential impact on future competitiveness. The second part of the book deals with the many practical considerations the Telecommuter needs to face in preparing his/her workplace and mind setthere again the advice given is obviously born out of practical experience which all potential Telecommuters and Telemanagers would do well to heed. Although some of the considerations and illustrations are specific to the US, the book travels the Atlantic well. DAVID E. MARKBY Consultants.
Telecommuting
Management
Futures Information
Associates
Making Telecommuting Happen: A Guide for Telemanagers and Telecommuters, JACKM. NILLES, Van
Nostrand Reinhold
(1994), 196 pp., E21.50.
Telecommuting-moving the work to the workersshould be on every Corporate Organization’s Board Room Agenda and is a subject of considerable interest to all involved with planning the future. This book is a valuable contribution to the available and growing literature on the subject. It will be of special interest to those involved in planning, implementing and practising the introduction of Flexible Working. Many of us dream dreams or create visions but few of us see those dreams and visions become reality. This book is the product of more than twenty years of thinking about and testing Telecommuting, a term coined by the author in the early 1970s. It is rich in practical advice about how to make Telecommuting happen and covers in considerable depth the essential elements involved. The book is divided into two sections, the first and larger section dealing with issues from a management perspective, the second covering the specifics for the Telecommuter in preparing to work from home. After defining the terms and concepts of decentBook Reviews and Review Briefs
ralization and illustrating the various flavours of Telecommuting from home based through various types of Telecentre, an in-depth coverage is given of the process involved in selecting suitable jobs and people. Detailed methodologies are set out to help the reader through all the various issues involved in establishing the extent to which specific jobs, or parts of jobs, are suitable. Consideration of personal characteristics such as self discipline, motivation, etc., is also addressed with the emphasis squarely placed on suitably screened volunteers. Here it is stressed that Telecommuting should be regarded as neither a privilege nor a penalty-but a different way of working. An important conclusion is also drawn in the chapter dealing with the work site location, that when taking all potential sites into consideration, e.g. home, telework centres, and principal offices, between 70-85% of employees could telecommute. There is an interesting although fairly general chapter dealing with technology. It draws attention to future development trends and the likely requirements of different types of worker, from routine tasks through to general management and more mobile staff. Management resistance (How do you know they’re working?), still the largest single constraint on the acceptance of Telecommuting, is addressed head-on in chapter 5, with convincing arguments and many positive suggestions on the real issues of managing Telecommuters. Further helpful and specific advice is given on the aspects of planning, training and the need to clarify advice on rules and regulations up front. The final chapter in part 1 draws attention to the need to measure results and sets out examples and ways of approaching this process. This is dealt with in several ways including the impact on work effectiveness and environmental considerations such as pollution and energy conservation. When confronted with business benefits such as: 0 an annual financial impact of, say, a 12% improvement in productivity, and ??
the potential modation,
to eliminate
one third of office accom-
few CEO’s can afford to ignore the potential impact on future competitiveness. The second part of the book deals with the many practical considerations the Telecommuter needs to face in preparing his/her workplace and mind setthere again the advice given is obviously born out of practical experience which all potential Telecommuters and Telemanagers would do well to heed. Although some of the considerations and illustrations are specific to the US, the book travels the Atlantic well. DAVID E. MARKBY Consultants.
Telecommuting
Management