Managing Virtual Teams in the Workplace of the Future

Managing Virtual Teams in the Workplace of the Future

Michelle Schenker @CSM_Michelle

Alex Schenker @SwissAlex

© Cover Story Media, Inc. 2014!

October 17, 2014!

What is a Virtual Team?


Photo Credit: ningin.com

A virtual team – whether across the street or across the world – is a team whose members

simultaneously work together to a common purpose, while physically apart.!

- Yael Zofi!

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•  Remote work started in the 1990’s as a way to retain female employees.!

•  Late 90’s/early 2000’s, technology evolved, enabling more remote working to save on real estate and travel time.!

•  Today, wifi, cloud computing, smartphones and online collaboration tools make it more plausible than ever.!

•  Social media has also changed personal communication. This means easier and faster remote relationship building.!

Source: McKinsey Quarterly, “Preparing for a New Era of Work”. November 2012

So What’s the Story?


Work in my jammies, work flex hours (which can mean the hours I choose or 14 hours a day!), let my

dogs out, get dinner started, run an errand or go to a doctor’s appointment

without feeling guilty.!

- Nicole Naviglia, Marketing Goddess!

Working Remotely Allows Me To…

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•  Virtual working has increased 80% from 2005-2012. •  In 2012, 1 out of 4 people are working from home.

•  By 2016, 63 million Americans will be working virtually.

•  By 2020, more than 40% of the American workforce will be freelancers, contractors and temp workers.!

Source: Forrester Research’s U.S. Telecommuting Forecast; Intuit workforce trend study

Trend or Here to Stay?


•  3 of every 4 are men. •  50% do not have children. •  35+ years of age.

Source: WorkLifeFit.com, ORC International, Dec 2013

Who is the Remote Worker?

Photo Credit: www.gght.org.uk


Be flexible with my schedule. When things come up like doctor appointments or there's a family

emergency I can take off immediately and do my work on the go.

It's the best way to work!!

- Kimberly Kurimski, Writer!


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Remote vs. Office Workers

•  63% have a more positive attitude toward work. •  80% feel more connected to their colleagues. •  2/3 of employees would take another job for better

commute (& 37% would take 10% less pay!) •  Average commuter spends about 100 hours a year on the

road. Home office workers use this time to: •  Get more sleep (40%) •  Get more exercise (32%) •  Spend more time with loved one (33%)

Photo Credit: TheSleepAdvisor.com

© Cover Story Media, Inc. 2014!Source: FlexJobs.com/trends

•  97% of companies offer flex-time. •  BUT, only 46% of employees feel their employer is

strongly committed to it. •  Workers struggle with flexibility stress – not promoted,

paid less, etc.

Is Your Work Flexible?

Source: WorkLifeFit.com, ORC International, Dec 2013

Photo Credit: TheGuardian.com


•  In Spring 2013, Marissa Mayer banned Yahoo’s work from home policy.

•  To make work “more productive, efficient and fun.”

•  To increase collaboration & innovation. •  The verdict is still out…

Yahoo Bans Remote?


Focus, relax and be more creative.!- Susan Tregoning, Consultant!“ ”



•  Physicians, radiologists; median: $186k •  Medical transcriptionists, registered nurses; $62k •  IT – computer software engineers & scientists,

programmers, sys admins; $86k •  Public relations specialists; $51k •  Graphic designers; $42k •  Writers & authors; $55k •  Post-secondary teachers; $59k •  Financial managers; $99k •  Tax-preparers; $31k •  Market & survey researchers; $61k

Which Virtual Jobs Are Hot?

Photo Credit: 4photos.net


•  81% of employees work remotely.

•  "Ergonomics for Professionals" provides employees with certified experts to ensure they have the best home-based office environment.

Source: Remote by Jason Fried of 37 Signals


•  85% of the examiners at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. •  57% of NASA. •  67% EPA.



Nearly half of its 35,000 U.S. employees work from home.

86% work remote at least 20% of the time.



Who Else?


Eliminate a lot of wasted time (commuting, dressing up, going out to lunch, etc.) and have more flexibility

to fit my life and work together. Overall I'm more productive.!

!- Amy Fong, Management Consultant!

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Cisco reports that the company has generated an estimated

annual savings of $277 million in productivity

by allowing employees to telecommute and telework.

Are They Successful?


•  Reduced office space by 78 million square ft since 1995. •  58 million square feet of which was sold at a gain of $1.9B. •  An additional $1B in sublease income. •  In the US, continuing annual savings for IBM amount to over $100M.

Virtual Saves IBM Money

Photo Credit: cujo359.blogspot.com

© Cover Story Media, Inc. 2014! Source: Remote by Jason Fried of 37 Signals

•  Remote working saved IBM 5 million gallons of fuel/year, preventing more than 450,000 tons of CO2 emissions.

•  24% of employees say they’d take a pay cut of up to 10% to help environment.

•  Traffic jams rob the U.S. economy of $78 billion/yr in productivity. •  Even half-time telework can save 1,600+ lives & prevent 99,000 injuries.

Environment and Health

Photo Credit: www.edmunds.com

Source: Remote by Jason Fried of 37 Signals © Cover Story Media, Inc. 2014!

•  It can save $11,000 per person per year in hard costs. •  95% of companies say remote work has a high impact on

employee retention. •  Losing an employee can cost $10-$30,000 •  Nortel saves $100k/employee they don’t have to relocate. •  78% who call in sick, aren’t. •  Absences cost $1,800/employee /year ($300 B/yr U.S. Co’s) •  Telework reduced absence 63% •  No more missing staplers!

Source: GlobalWorkPlaceAnalytics.com

But, Will it Save Me Money?


Use my own bathroom!!

- Brent White, Realtor!“ ”



The business people we speak with tell us that trust

and freedom play a key role in remote management, and once these are in place the benefits are clear for

all to see: greater productivity, improved staff retention and lower operating costs.

- Mark Dixon, Regus CEO

Global Economic Indicator Study, September 2013 Studied 26,000+ business managers in 90 countries

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Where is Our Team?


•  Access to talent across the globe & 24/7. •  Inc. productivity (35-40%) (AT&T: 5+ hours; Amex 43%). •  Businesses lose $600 B/year in distractions. •  Fewer sick days taken. •  Less turnover due to enhanced employee freedom. •  No office politics means fewer HR concerns. •  No expensive overhead costs for real estate, furniture,

utilities, equipment, office fridge & coffee pot. •  Lower overhead means lower, more competitive pricing.

Pros for Employers


Source: GlobalWorkPlaceAnalytics.com

•  You cannot walk in an office to get information anytime you want.

•  If there is an urgent matter, you have to schedule time that works for everyone.

•  Only works for businesses that don’t require in-person or hands-on work at a specific location.

Cons for Employers


Bring some balance to my life by being there for my kids and still getting work done, AND saves money

on the "career wardrobe" and lunches!!!

- Kristi Marion, PR Maven and "Local Mover & Shaker"!

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•  More work-life flexibility. •  Can work anytime, anywhere. •  You can work in your PJ's. •  Less interruptions. •  No office politics. •  Save money on lunches out, gas, parking, etc. (est.

$2,000-7,000/year). •  Optional commute (green - lower carbon footprint). •  No need to move to a new town for the new job. •  Say goodbye to stolen Lean Cuisines.

Pros for Workers


•  It can get lonely. •  You may miss team office events. •  It’s hard to turn it off. •  It’s hard to turn it on. •  Fewer corporate perks. •  Potential misunderstandings from non face-to-face

communication. •  Lack of structure. •  Missing out on your colleagues new haircuts and fall

fashions.

Cons for Workers


Make every meal at home! Exercise daily! Take meditation breaks without feeling a little weird!!

- Suzie Blackman, Yoga Instructor!

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•  Create a dedicated work space. •  Work communication is key. But set boundaries. •  Set a schedule/routine for work. •  Leave your home regularly (lunches, walks, sports). •  Continue to network locally and socially. •  Monitor your snacking. •  Showering is not necessary but suggested ;-)

How to Successfully Home Office

Photo Credit: Inc.com © Cover Story Media, Inc. 2014!

Top Tip for Remote Managing

Photo Credit: Forbes.com


•  Hire accountable people. •  Have difficult conversations over the phone or in person –

not via email, chat, or text. •  Celebrate victories together. •  Provide tools necessary for communication & productivity. •  Have regular meetings – via webcam and in person.

How to be a Rock Star �Remote Manager


•  For employees or high value contractors. •  Establishes team rapport/bonding. •  Time for fun/morale booster. •  Good for brainstorming and strategy sessions.

Don’t Forget About Face-to-Face


I gained 500 hours per year of productive time by not commuting.

!- Amy Adams, Advertising Exec!

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Tools to Get the Job Done - Virtually


•  Our primary collaboration tool. •  Very simple, straightforward interface. •  Track projects and tasks via “to do” lists. •  Have brainstorming discussions. •  Embed media (images, videos) and files. •  Access control (team members, clients, visitors). •  Apps for Apple and Android devices.

Project Management


Project Management


•  Fun virtual office environment. •  Hold meetings and discussions. •  Chat rooms. •  Video conferencing (similar to G chat). •  Audio conferencing (outside lines). •  Screen sharing.

Virtual Office


Virtual Office


•  Word, Excel, and PowerPoint equivalents. •  Free. •  Real time collaboration (multiple users). •  In document chat rooms. •  Access control (by username and link). •  Lots of storage.

Document Collaboration


•  Secure document storage. •  Team access and file management. •  Syncs with desktop. •  Business and personal accounts. •  Good for company file storage/archiving. •  Supports media files (images, videos).

Document Storage


•  Time Doctor – employee time tracking. •  Facebook Break Room – private group for sharing fun links. •  Google Hangout – video auto-switching/effects. •  Fresh Books – cloud accounting, send invoices, track time,

capture expenses. •  Addvocate – encourages team to share content. •  Skype – video conferencing/chat/get your own # (good for travel). •  Join.me – super simple screen sharing. •  Jing – screen capture anything (presentations/podcasts) & sharing. •  Vox – voice texting/walkie talkie.

Other Tools You May Dig


Sit in my pajamas and not brush my teeth or shower till 2pm working my butt off. Plus spend far more time with my son than I ever did working 60 hours a week,

traveling 70% of the time and banging my head against the wall on the treadmill of the corporate world.!

!- Greg Leimone, Private Investigator!

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•  Data security & privacy. •  Team members should adhere to company security protocols. •  2-factor/multifactor authentication. •  Generating a secure password. •  Travel tips (VPN’s, Public Wi-Fi). •  More tips at www.ASecureLife.com.

BYOD = Secure Your Data

Photo Credit: BrooklynExposed.com


How Do Spouses Work Together?


www.worktalkshow.com/alex-michelle-schenker-side-by-side

BE BRAVE

Cover Story Media, Inc. Winston-Salem, NC

www.CoverStoryMedia.com

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Thank You!


Michelle Schenker @CSM_Michelle

Alex Schenker @SwissAlex

www.coverstorymedia.com/newsletter-signup

Managing Virtual Teams in the Workplace of the Future

Business

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