Set Up Remote Workers to Thrive Case Solution And Analysis, HBR Case Study Solution & Analysis of Harvard Case Studies

During the past decade, virtual work professionals working remotely from home, from client sites or just off the road, are becoming more common. Some of the Fortune 500 companies, including Procter & Gamble, IBM, Accenture and AT & T, already partly or completely eliminated traditional offices. As many as 10% of today's work force telecommutes from home, more than three times the level of 2000. This trend will accelerate in the coming decades due to the continuing globalization of work, increasing customer demands and the cost and time of travel. However, remote workers, and managers are becoming more aware of the problems associated with virtual work, as they relate to internal communication, social interaction and employee satisfaction and commitment. The paper examines four major problems with remote operation, which require management attention: (1) finding the right work-life balance, (2) overcoming isolation of the workplace, (3) compensation for the lack of face-to-face, and (4) compensate for the lack of visibility . For each question, the authors propose a set of management strategies are taken from interviews with managers and remote workers. Successful companies will find ways to adjust to the differences, and to provide specialized training, education, and opportunities for social and business interactions with traditional and remote workers. "Hide
by Jay Mulki, Fleura Bardhi, Felicia Lassk, Jayne Nanavaty-Dahl Source: MIT Sloan Management Review 9 pages. Publication Date: 01 October 2009. Prod. #: SMR333-PDF-ENG