I guess businesses should just mail employees their paychecks while they stay warm and cozy in bed. ![[Image: dodgy.gif]](http://www.rooshvforum.network/images/smilies/dodgy.gif)
http://www.vancouversun.com/jobs/Office+...story.html
Chaining employees to the office is a health hazard akin to letting smokers back in, says a Calgary leader in promoting telework.
Robyn Bews, director of the WORK-shift program at Calgary Economic Development, has written an open letter to Marissa Mayer, chief executive of Yahoo! Inc, who has created a buzz in workplace circles with the company recently announcing it is not allowing employees to work remotely.
"Have I missed the key data that supports that people (particularly knowledge workers) produce their most creative and inspired work between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. while sitting diligently at their appointed workstation?" wrote Bews.
"Sharing the same physical space is not required to communicate effectively. Yahoo! already knows this as your 11,500 employees use technology to collaborate across your offices in more than 25 countries. To say Yahoo! employees need to be neatly tucked into their cubicles each and every day, contradicts your key business of helping people share information globally using technology. It goes against common knowledge about what motivates the employees you are trying to attract."
Bews wrote that studies show flexibility is a key criterion when evaluating employment options and is often equally weighted to compensation.
"Flexible work programs are not all or nothing. If you want to get the best from your employees, allow them to work when, where and how they are most effective," she wrote.
"And here's the key: it's not all employees or all positions all the time. And the benefits are well measured and documented. These can include real estate savings, increased productivity, and higher employee satisfaction and retention rates in addition to the positive environmental impact of reducing commuter numbers. To be successful in today's workplace, managers need to have the skills to measure outcomes not physical presence."
She wrote that telling employees that they must be "tethered to life in a cubical is akin to allowing smokers back in the office. Like excessive commuting and life in cubicle, the hazards of smoking are well documented."
In an email, a Yahoo! spokesperson said: "We don't discuss internal matters. This isn't a broad industry view on working from home - this is about what is right for Yahoo!, right now."
Laura Hambley, a co-author of the book Growing the Virtual Workplace, part of a consulting practice called the Leadership Store and an adjunct professor of psychology at the University of Calgary, called Yahoo!'s move a "narrow-minded reactive decision."
"I think that it doesn't take into account the diversity of the workforce, the one-size fits all approach that she's taking. And she's making the assumption that presenteeism equals productivity and collaboration. And also most importantly she's not seeing the value of collaborative technologies which is shocking given that they're a technology firm," said Hambley, adding that the biggest barrier to telework initiatives are bosses and Yahoo!'s move simply adds fuel to the fire of traditional managers who don't trust their employees.
"I think it will actually help WORK-shift because it is inspiring debate and I think it's making people even more passionate for WORKshift," she said.
According to a recent survey from Hays Canada, a national recruitment consultancy, 27 per cent of Canadian hiring managers want to add "ability to work from home" as a benefit in 2013.
Rowan O'Grady, president of Hays Canada, said there is a reservation about telework from companies but there's a real demand for it among individuals and it's gathering pace.
"About 50 per cent of companies are already offering some form of work from home option situations and then you've got another 25 per cent of companies who are interested in doing so or would like to ... So there's a real appetite for it out there," he said.
Also, in a survey of more than 3,300 North American IT Workers conducted by Robert Half Technology, 75 per cent said a remote working option was at least somewhat important when considering a new job opportunity. But 74 per cent also say they generally prefer working on-site versus remotely.
Of those who prefer to work on-site, 40 per cent said it was because they like the camaraderie and being around people.
Of those who prefer to work remotely, 39 per cent said it was because they felt they could be more productive with fewer distractions and 38 per cent said because it eliminates their commute.
http://www.vancouversun.com/jobs/Office+...story.html
Chaining employees to the office is a health hazard akin to letting smokers back in, says a Calgary leader in promoting telework.
Robyn Bews, director of the WORK-shift program at Calgary Economic Development, has written an open letter to Marissa Mayer, chief executive of Yahoo! Inc, who has created a buzz in workplace circles with the company recently announcing it is not allowing employees to work remotely.
"Have I missed the key data that supports that people (particularly knowledge workers) produce their most creative and inspired work between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. while sitting diligently at their appointed workstation?" wrote Bews.
"Sharing the same physical space is not required to communicate effectively. Yahoo! already knows this as your 11,500 employees use technology to collaborate across your offices in more than 25 countries. To say Yahoo! employees need to be neatly tucked into their cubicles each and every day, contradicts your key business of helping people share information globally using technology. It goes against common knowledge about what motivates the employees you are trying to attract."
Bews wrote that studies show flexibility is a key criterion when evaluating employment options and is often equally weighted to compensation.
"Flexible work programs are not all or nothing. If you want to get the best from your employees, allow them to work when, where and how they are most effective," she wrote.
"And here's the key: it's not all employees or all positions all the time. And the benefits are well measured and documented. These can include real estate savings, increased productivity, and higher employee satisfaction and retention rates in addition to the positive environmental impact of reducing commuter numbers. To be successful in today's workplace, managers need to have the skills to measure outcomes not physical presence."
She wrote that telling employees that they must be "tethered to life in a cubical is akin to allowing smokers back in the office. Like excessive commuting and life in cubicle, the hazards of smoking are well documented."
In an email, a Yahoo! spokesperson said: "We don't discuss internal matters. This isn't a broad industry view on working from home - this is about what is right for Yahoo!, right now."
Laura Hambley, a co-author of the book Growing the Virtual Workplace, part of a consulting practice called the Leadership Store and an adjunct professor of psychology at the University of Calgary, called Yahoo!'s move a "narrow-minded reactive decision."
"I think that it doesn't take into account the diversity of the workforce, the one-size fits all approach that she's taking. And she's making the assumption that presenteeism equals productivity and collaboration. And also most importantly she's not seeing the value of collaborative technologies which is shocking given that they're a technology firm," said Hambley, adding that the biggest barrier to telework initiatives are bosses and Yahoo!'s move simply adds fuel to the fire of traditional managers who don't trust their employees.
"I think it will actually help WORK-shift because it is inspiring debate and I think it's making people even more passionate for WORKshift," she said.
According to a recent survey from Hays Canada, a national recruitment consultancy, 27 per cent of Canadian hiring managers want to add "ability to work from home" as a benefit in 2013.
Rowan O'Grady, president of Hays Canada, said there is a reservation about telework from companies but there's a real demand for it among individuals and it's gathering pace.
"About 50 per cent of companies are already offering some form of work from home option situations and then you've got another 25 per cent of companies who are interested in doing so or would like to ... So there's a real appetite for it out there," he said.
Also, in a survey of more than 3,300 North American IT Workers conducted by Robert Half Technology, 75 per cent said a remote working option was at least somewhat important when considering a new job opportunity. But 74 per cent also say they generally prefer working on-site versus remotely.
Of those who prefer to work on-site, 40 per cent said it was because they like the camaraderie and being around people.
Of those who prefer to work remotely, 39 per cent said it was because they felt they could be more productive with fewer distractions and 38 per cent said because it eliminates their commute.
