Sunday, May 9, 2010

what’d I miss?

As this is written, both Tadd and I are coming off of a few days of some intergenerational experience between time spent helping out parents and grandparents. The need to do so changed our work habits a bit and drove more of what we do further into the non-traditional hours we keep. Doing so always makes me a little inquisitive about what I may have missed while not constantly online or on my BlackBerry – and the answer is usually a lot less than I think. The whole concept of missing something got me thinking. One of the loudest arguments the opponents and skeptics of telework make is that the employee will likely “miss something” when they are not in the office. In living the virtual work dream as well as advocating and teaching it, I can think of all kinds of things I miss by not being in a traditional office.

First is the commute time spent on the freeway where I used to travel 26 miles a day. I’m missing the lines of traffic, the risk of an accident, and the need to listen for the traffic report amidst mindless radio chatter. Along with that, I am missing spending over $200 per month on gasoline and the chance to put up to 3000 lbs of CO2 into the Colorado sky every year just on the drive to work and back. Culturally I am missing a lot too. I am astonished at the amount of productive time I use now that I am missing the minutes and hours spent in meetings that start late, or run too long, or never happen at all even though the group is assembled in the conference room. I’m missing the time spent answering questions multiple times, defending against the common corporate maxim that “a few things in life are sacred and the cover on your backside is one of them” as manifested by countless hours spent briefing bosses and peers on things they’re getting pressured over. Missing are the office gossip sessions, the political handwringing and the backbiting. I’m missing the pounds I’ve lost by eating less junk food, candy and leftovers stashed on the break room counter; and I’m missing the crowded gym that came with having to go at peak hours because the office hours demanded it. The list keeps growing.

All sarcasm aside, the fact remains that people who work virtually find benefits well beyond what they thought they would – politically, culturally, energetically and productively. Good virtual work programs take this into account, build policies and processes around it, and are rewarded for doing so. Undoubtedly, there are things that are truly missed, though most remote work arrangements have suitable alternatives. virtualwirks exists in part to help find those answers. Consider, however, how much time you spend on things at work that are unnecessary but exist just because a group of people are in the same building. You’d be surprised what you find, and what you’ll miss by joining the virtual work revolution.

1. Sandra says:

   December 4, 2011 at 3:47 am

   I just hope whoever writes these keeps wrtinig more!