如何弥补在家办公的缺陷

    WorldatWork认为，如今经济形势不稳定，人们担心，如果总是不露面，就有可能丢掉饭碗。WorldatWork工作和生活实践领导人罗斯•斯坦利说：“我们发现，最近的经济衰退期间，远程办公人数也减少了，但导致这个现象出现的更重要原因是人们心态的变化，而不是机构政策的改变。”

    诚然，根据WorldatWork的调查，在减少的远程工作人数中，略超过半数（54%）的人是因为过去几年失业率的上升；其余的则是因为员工害怕被解雇，以及雇主增加了独立承包商的使用等因素。

    该协会建议远程办公人员每季度至少造访总部一次。“必须提供适当的途径，帮助员工与同事重新建立联系，”斯坦利说。

    27岁的彼得•莱德对远程办公的局限性深有体会。他曾被得克萨斯州的某个网上学校聘用，管理1个销售团队，而他自己却常住犹他州。除了在得克萨斯州度过的最初1周，他主要依靠每季度1次的见面与下属和其他同事来保持联系。

    “首次与公司的各色人等打交道就得通过电话并是件容易的事，”莱德回忆说。“我会亲自出面，花上1周的时间四处救火，或尽力和人们会面，这样，我下次给他们打电话时，就与他们多少有了些交情。”

    他的团队在他的领导下将学校的利润增加了200%，但他觉得孤立无援，毫无成就感。他说：“我实在找不到归属感。”

远程办公融合员工人际交往

    金融服务公司CUNA互助组试图解决如何打造虚拟团队协作的难题。该公司向储蓄互助社提供金融服务，大约有70名员工在全国各地从事贷款人开发项目。据产品管理总监特丽•史密斯说，为了让员工彼此互相认识，团队使用了网络摄像头，并在工余鼓励小规模群体之间互相交流，分享圣诞节的回忆，交流彼此最喜爱的度假胜地这样的话题。

    史密斯说：“我们利用每个机会不断地将我们的团队联系起来。如果我们要举行小组会议，所有人都得打开摄像头，这样，就能和他人进行面对面的互动交流。”

    摄像头技术还能让发言的人看到其他人的脸，这样，当她看到疑惑的表情时，就可以停下来，作出解释。此外，遇到员工添丁加口或生日等活动，该团队还会向个人赠送曲奇花篮，或者通过摄像头齐唱唱生日快乐，以此来表示庆贺。

    WorldatWork argues that the uncertain economy has heightened employees' fears that they risk losing their job if they are not seen. "We found that teleworking went down during the most recent economic downturn, more due to a mindset than to an organization's change in policy," says Rose Stanley, work-life practice leader for WorldatWork.

    To be sure, a slight majority (54%) of the decline in remote workers is attributed to a rise in unemployment levels over the past few years, according to WorldatWork's survey; the remainder was attributed to factors such as employees' fear of retribution and increased use of independent contractors by employers.

    The association recommends that employees who work remotely visit their home office at least once a quarter. "You have to put in place ways for that employee to reconnect to their co-workers," Stanley says.

    Peter Wride, 27, understands well the limits of telecommuting. He was hired to manage a sales team for an online school based in Texas -- when he was based in Utah. Aside from an initial week in Texas, he relied on quarterly in-person meetings with his staff and other colleagues.

    "It became hard to deal with different people in the company who I was meeting for the first time over the phone," Wride recalls. "I'd show up in person and spend a week putting out fires or trying to meet people so the next time I had to call them, I had a bit of a relationship with them."

    Under his leadership, his team boosted profits at the school by 200%, but he felt cut off and unfulfilled by the work experience. "I really didn't feel that I was part of the team," he says.

Inserting community into telework: No simple feat

    CUNA Mutual Group is trying to solve the puzzle of how to build virtual teamwork. The company, which provides financial services to credit unions, has about 70 employees across the country working in its lender development program. To help everyone get to know one other, the team uses Web cameras and encourages breakout discussions among smaller groups on topics like a Christmas memory or favorite vacation spot, says Terri Smith, director of product management.

    "We take every opportunity to continue to connect our team. If we're doing a team meeting, we're all on webcams, so you're getting that face-to-face interaction," Smith says.

    The webcam technology also allows a presenter to see people's faces, so she can stop a presentation to address puzzled looks. The group has celebrated life events like a baby shower or birthday by sending the individual a cookie bouquet or having everyone sing happy birthday via webcam.