Making Remote Workers Effective

Abstract

The use of telecommuting is lower than expected because of manager resistance. This chapter describes research conducted to identify two things: (1) the key issues of working and managing remotely, and (2) the activities that employees and managers should do to increase the effectiveness of remote employees. Three major categories of activities were identified. The first deals with the employee’s ability to carry out the right tasks and the manager’s ability to assess the employee’s effectiveness. The second category reflects the essential role information technology plays in enabling remote work. The third category deals with the employee’s need for advice and support. Suggestions are provided for how organizations can make the activities more common. If organizations do this, the potential of telecommuting and virtual office arrangements will be more fully reached as remote employees become more effective and resistance to these new forms of working decreases.