Prepared Exclusively for Women’s Network Working From Home: Exploring the Options Professional Women Leaders In The Collection Industry.

Working From Home: Exploring the Options

Professional Women LeadersIn

The Collection Industry

Discussion: TelecommutingWhat are the Pro’s & Con’s for the employee and employer

What are they calling it now?

Telecommuting Virtual Employee

Working From HomeHome office

Teleworker

Virtual Office

Running the Numbers

14% - U.S. workforce gets its job done at a home office more than two days per week.

That's up from 11% in 2004, and is set to grow to 17% by 2009.

At IBM, about 42% of the company's 330,000 employees work on the road, from home, or at a client location, saving the computer company about $100 million in real estate-related expenses a year.

Videos, an employer of at-home customer-service reps, hangs onto 85% of its employees each year, compared with the 10% to 20% rate for traditional call centers, according to consulting firm IDC.

And virtual workers are about 16% more productive than office workers, according to Grantham's research.

Best types of “Virtual Jobs”

Sales Professionals Managers of

Professionals Individual Contributors Consultants

Project Managers IT Professionals

Telephone Agents Just need voice contact, not face to face contact

(other) (other)

What’s in it for me? Employee EmployerNo commute •this has an impact from gas, wear & tear on car, not sitting in traffic, increased productive time

Save on real estate costs (some companies save $300B)

Additional Flexibility •Kids get off to school, home from school, personal errands

Keeping cars off the road helps companies bolster their green bona fides.

No need to relocate The practice can foster employee retention

Positive impact on Work / Life Balance

Boost work productivity

Running the NumbersAbout 61% of global executives say they think telecommunters are less likely to advance in their careers, compared with employees in a traditional office setting.

25% of workers who could feasibly telecommute,less than half would do so more than 2 days p/wk.

“From an organizational standpoint, its very easy to hire and fire remote employees” – this could be a grim reality for the 12 million telecommute employees.

Videos, an employer of at-home customer-service reps, hangs onto 85% of its employees each year, compared with the 10% to 20% rate for traditional call centers, according to consulting firm IDC.

And virtual workers are about 16% more productive than office workers, according to Grantham's research.

What are the issues? Employee Employer

Not everybody wants to work from home as they fear they will step off the corporate ladder.

Real advancement takes visibility, managing other people, and being where the action is.

Some employees need a busy environment to stay productive.

Many managers simply don’t know how to manage a virtual workplace.

Some workers feel lonely, isolated or deprived of vital training & mentoring.

Workers who spend three or more days without talking to a manager or colleagues start to feel disconnected.

Communication breakdowns can impede innovation, trust, job satisfaction, and performance.

Virtual work environments can be tough on young workers who are trying to learn their jobs.

Many teleworkers overcompensate for their non-physical presence.

Sometimes virtual workers miss informal advice that in-office workers obtain.

Employees can miss out on the office socialization that many people thrive on.

Communication Solutions:Learn How to Best Communicate

What is Best response

Time

Buddy System

Virtual Software

Mobile devices

Instant Messaging

Daily or Weekly

“touch base”

Daily contactVia Phone

Communicate

Managing Your Virtual Career:

What is Best response

Time

Check on Perceptions

frequently

Be Accessible

RescheduleTelecommute

days

Be present At Key

Meetings

Set specificCareer goals

Be great atYour job

The Future

Strategies for WN Colleagues:

Attend Conferences

Dial in forWN calls

Meet the Network

…

…

Call someoneTo laugh

Stay connected

Our Network

Resources

Sources

MSNBC.comHow telecommuters can keep career on track10/22/07

MSNBC.comWorking from home: It’s in the details2/12/07