After a very tumultuous year I want to wish you a very happy, satisfying and productive next year — and thereafter. Onward to 2019. Here are some things to think about for the new year.
Employers
If you haven’t already, try to expand (or start) formal teleworking in your organization. As the world economy starts to slow down it is time to think about ways you can increase your competitiveness and versatility while also reducing operating costs. Contemporary technology almost transparently enables close coordination among team members and between teams, regardless of the physical location of their members. As more than one manager has told me in the past: “I didn’t get this at first. In fact I resisted it. But my experience as a telemanager has shown me that I spend significantly less time in those tedious administrative tasks and much more time in getting the job done with my co-workers.” That, and the fact that trained teleworkers tend to stick with their employers — and take less sick leave — is what makes those bottom-line-checkers smile.
As technology improves in speed and versatility so will your teleworkers be able to effortlessly interact with each other. In fact, one of the impacts of evolving technology is the ability for organizations of whatever size to be more flexible and adaptive to changing environments. Like coping with climate change, tariffs, local scarcity of trained human resources and the like, issues of geography dwindle.
Staff
Are you tired of spending 5% to 20% or more of your waking day just getting to and from your job? Are you already tired and tense when you get there? Is your job teleworkable? Is your work relatively independent of where you are when you’re working? Are you looking for new challenges and job satisfaction? Then you should be into some form of teleworking (or remote working as it’s often called these days).
Is your supervisor hostile to departing from 19th century management attitudes? And is your supervisor also under pressure to improve productivity? Is climate change creeping up in her list of worries. Then you might want to explain to her how teleworking, with a teensy little change in attitude on her part, might be just the the thing to brighten up her outlook for 2019. Try it. She’ll like it, she’ll breather easier (literally) seeing that you will be more productive and less stressed out yourself — and producing much less in the way of CO2.
If you’re already teleworking and like it, spend a little time exploring ways to expand your opportunities. Check out new technologies that make your teleworking easier and increase your ability to interact (or not) with your colleagues. As the world gets crazier it will improve your ability to adapt and prosper.
Happy 2019!