Working away from the office: Benefits and drawbacks

WORKING AWAY FROM THE
OFFICE:
Benefits and drawbacks
Rhonda BraceyACES
March 2015
#cybertext
#ACES2015

 Worked remotely full-time since Feb 2007
 Several long-term clients in that time (Australia, Israel, US)
 Main client since late 2008: Chevron (Gorgon LNG Project)
 Rarely, if ever, meet my clients/work colleagues
 Mostly do technical editing for large teams of authors
About me

© CyberText Consulting Pty Ltd
“The virtual office has existed for at least a century...
Clothing factories used to drop off piecework at the
homes of stay-at-home mothers who would sew the
pieces together and receive payment on a per-item basis.
…it’s simple enough to give a worker a remote login to
your network, a high-speed Internet connection, or
whatever other connectivity service she requires.”
Lee, TJ. The Virtual Office: Part 2
www.thenakedpc.com/articles/v02/20/0220-03.html

<date>© CyberText Consulting Pty Ltd7
How many minutes of this per day?
10? 20? 30? 45? 60? More?
“I’m sitting in a traffic
jam, in the car that I need
to get to work, so that I
can pay for the house
that I’m never in.”

How far/long is your daily commute?
8
RAC WA Horizons, June/July 2014, p9

Only to face this for 8+ hours…
9

10
Just 3 minutes walk away…

Positives
12
No commute; no madly running errands on the way home; no
ironing; more time for family, leisure activities
More discretionary
time
Reduce or cut out: expensive lunches, snacks, drinks (coffee);
parking, public transport, fuel, car wear and tear; wardrobe
updates, laundry, shoes/stockings, makeup/hair/nails
Reduced costs
(~$10,000 pa saved)
No/fewer meetings; no water cooler chat; few ad hoc
interruptions (‘prairie dogging’); little office politics
Greater
productivity
Few interruptions  meet deadlines; work hours to suit body
clock/commitments; not rushing; fewer take-outs/meals out;
more time for exercise; don’t catch/transmit bugs
Less stress/
better health
Not running car as often; not consuming as much
Reduced footprint
on Earth

Negatives
14
Miss ad hoc work and social relationships with co-workers; out of the
loop; no body language/facial expression nuancesIsolation
Possible increase in power/internet/phone costs; equipment/software
costs if employer doesn’t provide; dedicated office space and furniture
Increased
costs
Family/friends may assume you’re always available to do other tasks
(chores, shopping, kid taxi, coffee/lunch etc.)
Interruptions
Managers/co-workers may assume you’re doing nothing or doing
things other than work
Perceptions
Can be too easy to work all hours and not separate home/work lifeOverworking
Self-discipline is essential otherwise you’ll get nothing done; beware
of distracting yourself with non-work tasksUnderworking

Self-distractions….
15

It’s about managing…
16
Yourself and your time (discipline, routine, distractions)
Perceptions of others (ALWAYS be available during core hours)
Interruptions (train your spouse, family, friends)
Your workspace (dedicated is best, with a door)
Your mental and physical health (exercise regime, social contact)
Your employer/manager (who pays for what; negotiate core hours)

Helping hands: If you have these…
18
Consider
telecommuting
(at least some of
the time)
Existing
work/
network
Existing
reputation
Supportive
employer
Supportive
family
Good self-
discipline
Appropriate
environment

Work types conducive for telecommuting
 Suitable work types: ANY! Occasional, temporary,
PT, FT, permanent, consultant, contractor…
 Suitable time periods: ANY! Full-time, few days a
week, occasional, temporarily FT for a period…
19

Temporary situations for telecommuting
 Physical health issues: e.g.:
 short-/long-term conditions (e.g. chronic
fatigue, broken limb)
 recovering from illness/hospital stay
 temporary or permanent physical limitations
 Mental health issues: e.g. anxiety disorders
 Personal issues: e.g.:
 primary caregiver for an extended period but can work
some of the time
 need time to meet/consult others (e.g. dealing with
financial/health/car/house issues etc.)
20

Takeaways:
 Internet essential—the faster the better
 Remote access and collaboration tools are
getting better all the time
 Keep in contact—have regular voice
meetings with manager/colleagues
Connecting Technologies21

Internet
22
MINIMUM: Fast broadband/fiber connection
Websites, email, social media
Conference calls: phone and/or video
Transfer/backup data files
Connect securely to another system (VPN)
Work on another system as though you were there (Windows
Remote Desktop: free)
Instant messaging (e.g. Microsoft Lync in corporate environment)

Telephony
23
Landline, mobile, VOIP (e.g. Skype, Cisco)
Skype:
• Computer to computer (free)
• Smartphone app, conference calls, video calls, chat, voicemail,
file transfer, screen sharing...
Cisco IP Phone option if already used in office:
• Office phone directory
• Dedicated local number/extension

Web conference/screen sharing tools
25
Provider Pricing (in US$, as at June 2014) Website
WebEx
Free (up to 3 people); $24/month (up
to 8); $49/month (up to 25)
www.webex.com
GoToMeeting $49/month (up to 25); 30-day free trial www.gotomeeting.com
Adobe
Connect
From $45/month; also ‘pay per use’
option: 32c/user/minute
http://www.adobe.com/pr
oducts/adobeconnect.html
Microsoft
Lync Online
Various prices depending on Office 365
subs, corporate installations etc.
http://www.microsoft.com/
en-us/office365/lync-
online.aspx
Join Me Free; Pro version from $13/month www.join.me
Fuze Meeting Free (up to 25); $8/month (up to 125)
https://www.fuzebox.com/
pricing
A Google search for web conferencing applications gives >92 million
results! Many apps are suitable for tablets too. Examples:

Remote access requirements
26
If you need to
access:
 your own
system
while on
the road
 a client’s
system
from
anywhere
then you’ll
need this
information…
 Domain name, username, password
 Client sys admin to allow VPN access
 Tools to provide access, such as:
 Remote Desktop (Windows; free!)
 remote access to server and networked
PCs via web
 Microsoft Outlook Web App (if using
Exchange Server [or VPN to use Outlook])
 commercial desktop and web tools

Commercial remote access tools
27
Provider Pricing (US$, as at June 2014) Website
GoToMyPC
$10/month for access to one PC
(30-day free trial)
www.gotomypc.com
LogMeIn From $99/year (free trial) www.logmein.com
TeamViewer From $699/year www.teamviewer.com
Soonr From $30/month (3 users) www.soonr.com
Examples:

IT help
28
 If no access to corporate IT help, consider ‘pay per
use’ on-demand, on-site, or remote services
 Some have pre-paid cover plans, and/or managed
IT services

Example collaboration tools
29
Document sharing tools (e.g. Google Drive, Office 365)
File sharing tools (e.g. Microsoft OneDrive, DropBox)
Project management tools (e.g. BaseCamp, ToodleDo)
Microsoft SharePoint: Tries to do all the above in the one
package; success varies…
Other: Content management systems, wikis, forums, blogs,
Twitter (!)

Twitter examples
30

Takeaways:
 Essentials: dedicated space with a door
 Get a GOOD chair
Home Office31

Minimum equipment
35
PC and/or laptop
Modem/router (preferably with WiFi)
Printer (multifunction = smaller footprint—copy, scan, print, fax)
Headset (or microphone + speakers [often built-in to laptops])
External, portable hard drives and thumb drives
Phone (smartphone is ‘one device to rule them all’)

Nice to have…
36
Tablet (iPad, Samsung [Android], etc.)
WiFi connection (built-in to later laptops; on phone/tablet)
Webcam (built-in to later laptops; on phone/tablet)
Travel-sized bits and pieces (mouse, cables, chargers [portable
battery])
Digital voice recorder (try your phone/tablet)
Digital camera (or phone/tablet camera)

Stuff for your body
37
Decent desk + chair (you’ll spend a LOT of hours at both, so don’t scrimp)
Quiet/free from distractions (noise-canceling headphones, ear plugs)
Good lighting
Temperature control
Exercise

Just for video and conference calls
<date>© CyberText Consulting Pty Ltd
38
Check background for inappropriate, messy, personal items (test!)
(watch for things growing out of your head; use fake background image or screen
to cover mess)
Ban pets, children, others from the room (lock the door, ‘On Air’ sign)
Work in a silent room if possible (no background noises: screeching
birds, barking dogs, vacuum cleaners, drills, microwave beeps, etc.)
Mute any room noises (e.g. phones, alarms, notification pings)
Screen sharing (minimal desktop icons; ‘clean’ file/folder names)
Watch for bright lighting (can distract, wash out, or make your face dark)

Just for video calls
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/118944-five-video-skype-tips-background
39

Takeaways:
 Costs of commuting are huge—time, money,
mental health
 ‘Employers of choice’ are those that offer
flexible approaches to where/how you work
Facts and figures40

Some facts…
41
UK companies spent £24 billion on business travel in 20111
It costs UK employers £7000 per person per desk for office workers1
90% of office workers would like to work from home some of the time1
35% of tech professionals would sacrifice up to 10% of their salaries for
full-time telecommuting2
Microsoft dramatically reduced Australian office rent by encouraging
employees to telecommute and ‘hot desk’3
1. From "Home of the future" Episode 2: Work (TwoFour Broadcast Ltd, 2012; presenter Chris Sanderson)
2. http://www.networkworld.com/news/2011/040511-it-telecommute.html
3. http://www.afr.com/p/tech-gadgets/don_bother_coming_in_microsoft_plans_4awi53i0X9pUPfK5hk6KnK

Results from studies on commuting…
42
Lengthy, unpredictable commutes affect physical and emotional wellbeing1
Commuting strain  nervousness/tension, pain/stiffness, irritability, fatigue1
>10% of parents in paid employment spend more time each week
commuting than with their children1
On the IBM Commuter Pain Index2 (1 to 100), Beijing and Mexico City = 99,
Sydney 40, Toronto 32, Los Angeles 25, New York 19, Houston 17
31% surveyed3 said traffic was often so bad they turned around and went home
(69% in Beijing!)
1. From Flood, Michael and Barbato, Claire (2005) Off to Work: Commuting in Australia, Australia Institute, Canberra.
2. IBM Commuter Pain Index (2011): http://www-03.ibm.com/press/au/en/pressrelease/33560.wss
3. IBM Commuter Pain Index (2010): http://www-03.ibm.com/press/au/en/pressrelease/32029.wss

Effects of commuting on mental health
43
 Main article: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/nov/01/secrets-worlds-happiest-cities-commute-property-prices
 Swedish study: http://www.samfak.umu.se/english/about-the-faculty/news/newsdetailpage/long-distance-commuters-get-divorced-more-
often.cid160978
 Stutzer and Frey (German study): http://ideas.repec.org/p/zur/iewwpx/151.html

Takeaways:
 Search for ‘remote working’, teleworking’
‘telecommuting’, ‘working from home’
 Plenty available on benefits/costs of
telecommuting and convincing arguments for
your boss
 List of some on my blog:
http://cybertext.wordpress.com/2012/11/03/
resources-for-remote-working-presentation/ (all
links checked and updated January 2015)
Resources44

Any questions?
Contact me:
 Email: rhonda.bracey@cybertext.com.au
 Website: http://www.cybertext.com.au
 Blog: http://cybertext.wordpress.com
 Twitter: @cybertext
 LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rhondabracey
Thank you…46

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Working away from the office: Benefits and drawbacks