| > | | | | themselves to implement checks andbalances to |
| In the wake of the terrible tragedy in New York | | | | ensure that the workers are producing as |
| and at the Pentagon, perhapswe need to | | | | expected, just asoccurs within a physical office |
| reevaluate the way we handle and position our | | | | environment. |
| workforce. The | | | | Of course, many positions require some |
| World Trade Center was a huge target containing | | | | face-time. In such situations,perhaps companies |
| a congregation of thousandsof individuals and | | | | can implement an alternating schedule where |
| hundreds of companies. In such a situation, in | | | | individuals insuch positions would be in the office a |
| manycities, the idea of implementing a | | | | certain number of days per week. |
| telecommuting strategy to decentralizethe | | | | Many positions can, however, be performed |
| workforce would not only save lives, but also | | | | 100% of the time from home or froma remote |
| reduce the hit taken bymany companies. | | | | office environment. |
| --- Never again! --- | | | | At this point, companies should evaluate the |
| I recently spoke about this current national | | | | options available for providinga telecommuting |
| situation with the heads ofseveral companies with | | | | work environment for their employees. This |
| which I've worked. All of them replied in a way | | | | approach canbenefit companies by minimizing their |
| thatmade me realize that they were more | | | | required office space as well askeeping hoards of |
| concerned about the safety of theiremployees | | | | people out of a central location for extended |
| and the future of their companies than their | | | | periods oftime. |
| current incomepotential or stock dividends. | | | | --- Freestanding Telework Centers --- |
| One of the big concerns raised by these | | | | Through a consortium of government and |
| company chiefs was that they werenot sure how | | | | business, freestanding teleworkcenters can be |
| their sales force would operate under these | | | | created around the nation to provide a place for |
| conditions. | | | | workers togo for virtual meetings, to use |
| Face-to-face meetings with current and potential | | | | equipment, and to perform tasks that |
| clients were cancelled and,for the most part, not | | | | wouldotherwise require some type of face-time. |
| rescheduled. Many of the clients, however, | | | | A freestanding telework center is an office suite |
| werecomfortable at setting up video-conferencing | | | | or building dedicated tosupporting workers whom |
| systems to support a minimalface-to-face | | | | "telecommute" to their jobs. The idea behind |
| meeting and most of the "sales calls" went on | | | | afreestanding telework center is that it is intended |
| without a hitch. | | | | to be private for thosecompanies that subscribe |
| Basically, a way was found to resolve the issue | | | | to the service. Additionally, by-the-hour |
| and American businesscontinued. | | | | teleworkcenters can provide access to restricted |
| According to one company in New York, there | | | | public use for those who performfreelance or |
| was no way that they would workin such a | | | | other such contract-based work. |
| tower again, nor would they recruit anyone to do | | | | The government is currently leading in this |
| so. They feelthat the era of American glory | | | | direction because governmentregulations are |
| through skyscrapers is over, but they | | | | pushing to cut down on employment-related |
| mustcontinue their business, only in safer | | | | commuter trips andvehicle miles. To assist us in |
| corridors. | | | | moving in this direction, think about thefollowing |
| --- Decentralize the Work Force --- | | | | three types of telework centers: |
| I've visited the World Trade Center on numerous | | | | - Satellite Centers |
| occasions and periodicallyvisit my office in | | | | These are generally freestanding telework centers |
| mid-town. Each block has more people than the | | | | built and operated by asingle company for the |
| entirecounty in which I lived in Colorado. This | | | | exclusive use of its own employees. |
| massive congregation of people isa wonderful site, | | | | - Executive Centers |
| however, in the wake of this maniacal attack, it is | | | | These are generally freestanding telework centers |
| also adevastation waiting to happen. | | | | built and operated forprofit. The operator opens |
| Within the World Trade Center, there were in | | | | the telework center and offers its facilities |
| excess of 50,000 people. Notonly does such an | | | | toanyone needing a workspace. Included in this |
| attack destroy the lives of thousands more, but it | | | | category would be small,neighborhood telework |
| alsoaffects the economy in one, sharp blow. By | | | | centers, as well as large, centrally located centers. |
| decentralizing the workforce, weare not only | | | | - Shared Office Sites |
| making an attempt to save lives, but we are also | | | | These are conventional central offices that |
| making anattempt to save the economy from | | | | employers make available on anexchange basis |
| future blows of this magnitude. | | | | for the part-time use of workers who live nearby. |
| Additionally, a decentralized workforce would | | | | Sharedoffice programs hold great potential for |
| support a means of allowingface-to-face client | | | | eliminating commuter trips andvehicle miles. Once |
| calls within the locale of the individuals. This | | | | in place, these programs can allow employees to |
| willreduce flight costs and the time spent travelling | | | | work atthe closest participating site rather than |
| as well as enhance thesafety of the individual | | | | the one to which they wouldotherwise have to |
| employees. | | | | commute. |
| Of course, this will place added responsibilities on | | | | --- What's next? --- |
| individual employees. | | | | With this devastation, the world is in flux. Public |
| In some cases, for example, software developers | | | | and governmentalorganizations are rethinking their |
| would have to make customersupport calls and | | | | strategy worldwide to ensure a saferfuture for |
| essentially become sales people. Perhaps the idea | | | | everyone. Perhaps, it is now our turn to rethink |
| of ajack-of-all-trades might make a comeback | | | | our strategywith the workforce. |
| and support American business indifferent ways. | | | | People are the most valuable asset in any |
| --- Implementing a Telecommuting Policy --- | | | | business and businesses are assetsto the |
| Currently, many companies have cast | | | | economy. In both cases, a decentralized |
| telecommuting aside. They claim loss ofproduction, | | | | workforce, using a solidtelecommuting policy, |
| lack of discipline, and other such reasons. It is, | | | | would provide a safer future for |
| however, theresponsibility of the organizations | | | | individuals,businesses, and the American economy. |