TRANSITIONING TO A MORE MOBILE WORKFORCE WHITEPAPER

Contents 1. What do the Academics have to say on the topic of mobility? 2. Office design considerations: What makes a mobile friendly workplace? 3. The next steps 4. Investment 5. Helping you unlock the potential of your investment in technology… and people: Data#3’s Business Productivity Services team.

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What do the Academics have to say on the topic of mobility? Telecommuting and virtual work have been modifying the traditional working environment over the last twenty years (Clark, Karau & Michalisin, 2012). Previously, the analysis of the mobile workforce would be limited by employer hesitancy in supporting remote employees; while the technology to support mobile workers outside of the office was also limited (Insight Research Corporation, 2007). Over the past 15 years, these limitations have been eliminated. The expansion of the mobile workforce is now being actively promoted by employers and the technology is available for continuous communication with employees outside of the office (Insight Research Corporation, 2007).

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As a result, the focus of the literature has shifted to employing the most effective and productive virtual workforce. What’s all the hype? There are many different phrases and definitions which are associated to remote/mobile employees. Such terminologies used are teleworking, home-working, working-at-a-distance, off-site working, or telecommuting (Golden, 2007). Each description while accurate is restricted to a specific group or condition (Clark, Karau & Michalisin, 2012). Therefore, it is pivotal to outline an underlying definition for virtual working and its workers. Mobile workers are those who work at least 10 hours per week away from home and from their main place of work, e.g. on business trips, in the field, travelling or on customers’ premises, and who use online computer connections when working off-site. (Electronic Commerce and Telework Trends, 2000). Let’s talk numbers The IDC (2010) forecast that the worldwide mobile worker population is set to increase from 919.4 million in 2008, accounting for 29% of the worldwide workforce, to 1.19 billion in 2013, accounting for 34.9% of the workforce.

Peters, Tijdens & Wetzels, (2003) explored the EU member states survey data which indicated that three out of four virtual workers were male, and that the age group between 30-49 was well over represented amongst virtual workers. This is supported by Cisco (2007) who state that women are 67% less likely to become mobile workers rather than men. Full-time workers and those people with a higher degree of education are three times as likely to be part of the mobile workforce. International comparisons and characteristics While there has been a substantial increase in the amount of mobile workers across the globe; the virtual workforce is more prevalent in some countries rather than others. The large distribution of the mobile workforce across each continent especially in Europe, can be attributed to the country’s network readiness and also by cultural differences (Cisco, 2007). Networked readiness measures the extent to which countries are prepared to use ICT effectively.

The dimensions used in this measure are the general business, regulatory and infrastructure environment, the readiness of individuals, businesses and governments and actual usage of the latest information and communication technology (Cisco, 2007). Higher numbers of mobile workers in countries such as Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and Brazil can also be explained by their “feminine” cultures. Countries with feminine cultures have workforces that are more balanced between male and female workers. Childcare responsibilities are typically shared between men and women, and organisations value skills such as teamwork and collaboration. The combination of these two factors has, in part, led to a much longer history of flexible work arrangements that promote family friendly working, including mobile work options. Countries such as Japan, Italy, Austria and Mexico can be described as having “masculine” cultures. Typically masculine characteristics such as competitiveness and assertiveness are more valued within the culture.

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Southern European and Latin American countries are described as having dialogue oriented cultures, whereas the Scandinavian, South African and North American countries are described as having data oriented cultures. Organisations in dialogueoriented cultures tend to favour work styles that facilitate faceto-face communication. Relationships are more easily built and sustained in these kinds of organisations. Organisations in data-oriented cultures tend to emphasise productivity and efficiency and, as a result, are more likely to promote autonomous working, brief communications and the use of technology. These preferences have a close fit with the characteristics of mobile working. A recent survey of mobile working in the Middle East showed that 76% of those questioned agreed that mobile working makes their business more competitive, and 71% strongly agreed that laptop computers allow for the flexibility to balance home and work responsibilities more satisfactorily. These views are significantly more positive than in Lebanon (52%) and UAE (68%). Organisations developing mobile work opportunities in this context must be sure to consider how relational networks

and technology can be used to facilitate close communication. Are you an effective mobile worker? While there is an abundance of virtual workers, the question is whether we can determine which workers are productive and what characteristics determine their effectiveness. Sheridan (2012) believes that virtual employees are on an honour system and outlines four broad key self-characteristics to be a successfully engaged virtual employee. First, a person must be a selfstarter. The individual must have the ability to instigate, facilitate and finalise any opportunity for a project. Remote employees must be able to distinguish different opportunities from new and current clients. An effective remote employee has their ability to engage with the client and their manager to build customer engagement and not rely solely on the manager to provide them with assignments.

Second, a virtual worker must be self-motivated. They must have the capability to keep focus amongst the distractions without external stimuli (managers/colleagues) while, also forever improving their knowledge and skill set. Many employees lack motivation and will need a reason begin their daily functions. Generally coming into the office is the stimulant needed for the work day to start. However, what happens if you don’t have an office? The virtual worker must be able complete their assignments and produce results regardless of their location. Third, a virtual employee must be self-disciplined. Self-discipline implies organisation, time management and responsibility. Self-discipline employees generally have a long term focus and excellent time management skills to manage their tasks. If a remote employee is unable to keep self-disciplined then it is likely that they will be overrun with work, their clients and personal. The ideal virtual worker would be able to manage all of their engagements so that their personal and business lives don’t mesh into one.

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Finally, a virtual worker should be self-sufficient by showing effective communication skills, being emotionally sufficient, showing high sense of organisational mission and a customer focus. Without selfsufficiency virtual employees will be unable to integrate themselves into the company and the team which they work within. Seeing as virtual workers are less likely to be in and around the company, it becomes difficult for them to align themselves to the values the company portrays. The more regularly the individual is in contact the more sense of belonging they will have within the organisation. While Sheridan’s (2012) model encapsulates the key characteristics of an effective virtual employee, it lacks perspective of an employee within an organisational team. It could be argued that the selfsufficient characteristic provides justification however; Sheridan (2012) implies that the virtual employee will never be face-toface with their team members. The competencies identified as most critical to virtual workers’ performance were consistent across the interviews and research literature while also encompassing the virtual team component. The key competencies acknowledged in the interviews for a successful teleworker include being self-

motivated and self-disciplined, having effective communication skills, being technologically competent and results-oriented, resourcefulness, and possessing strong time management skills (Busch, Nash, & Bell 2011; Cisco, 2007). Other competencies include teamwork, problem solving, building relationships, flexibility and adaptability (Busch, Nash, & Bell 2011; Cisco, 2007). The virtual workforce continues to grow and the search has begun for the ideal employee. While there are many ideal characteristics which a person should demonstrate before they are hired or are transitioned to the virtual workforce, it is highly unlikely for a person to possess all the ideal characteristics. Sheridan (2012) believes that many of the skills necessary are learned over time when being exposed to and having experience in a mobile working position (Cisco, 2007). As a result, the ideal mobile employee is less likely to be found and more likely to be created within the position and organisational team.

Resources

Insight Research Corporation. (2007). The Mobile workforce and Enterprise Applications 2007-2012.

To dive deeper on the academic view of mobilising your workforce, take a look at the following resources:

Golden, T. (2007). Co-workers who telework and the impact on those in the office: Understanding the implications of virtual work for co-worker satisfaction and turnover intentions. Human Relations, 60,1641-1667.

Cisco, (2007). A Study: Understanding and Managing the Mobile Workforce. Peters, P. Tijdens, K. Wetzels, C. (2003). Employees’ opportunities, preferences, and practices in telecommuting adoption, Information & Management, 41, 469-482.

Busch, E. Nash, J. Bell, B. (2011). Remote Work: An examination of current trends and Emerging issues, Ithaca, NY: Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies, Cornell University

Electronic Commerce and Telework Trends. (2000). Benchmarking Progress on New Ways of Working and New Forms of Business Across Europe. IDC. (2010). Worldwide Mobile Worker Population 2009-2013 Forecast. Sheridan, K. (2012). The Virtual Manager: Cutting-Edge Solutions for Hiring, Managing, Motivating, and Engaging Mobile Employees. (Books 24/7) Clark, L. Karan, S. Michalisin, M. (2012). Telecommuting Attitudes and the ‘Big Five’ Personality Dimensions, Journal of Management Policy and Practice, 13(3), 31-46.

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“Mobile staff must be able to keep focused on the task at hand without the need for helicopter management.” Evelina Jedrzejewski

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Office design considerations: What makes a mobile friendly workplace? The people? Yes. The leaders and management staff? Of course! What about office design? Below we outline some considerations when moving to a flexible work environment to ensure maximum productivity, collaboration and satisfaction for those staff still working periodically (or even full time) from the office. • Easily accessible. Close to regular public transport, plentiful street parking or a private car park accessible via swipe card for those staff that require their vehicles during the day for customer meetings. • Internal café or well stocked central kitchen area - allows staff to have an informal place to meet and have coffee.

• This increases collaboration and networking between different departments and levels. Also means that staff do not need to travel far to buy coffee, saving minutes in the morning that could be more productive. • Wireless connection - Staff can access network drives and the internet from anywhere in the building without being required to plug in a network cable. • Instant messaging and presence- across the organisation so employees can have peer-to-peer textual conversations and have the ability to view other employees’ presence/ availability. • Meeting rooms equipped with screen, whiteboards and conference phones. • Hot desks have power cords ready to go - The benefit of having one model of machine for all staff reduces the need for power adapters. • Printers are activated via a swipe card system which allows users to select a single printer and be able to pick up printing anywhere in the office. • Collaboration tables for group discussions with overhanging sound dampeners

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preventing sound resonating throughout the area. • Offices separated into colours as well as having named meeting rooms to make it easier to find people - e.g. “I’m working over in the orange area today”. • The opportunity to let in plenty of natural light into the office which increases staff productivity by 10%. This is more useful in the cooler months as having blinds open all morning heats up the office. • Lockers to store personal belongings for staff who are working at hot desks and do not require a permanent space. • 24 hour access to the building. • Shower facilities enabling people to exercise during lunch time and commute to work on foot or on bicycle. • Reconfigurable desks to enable rearranging if necessary. • Zip taps allow staff to have access to boiling and cold water instantly reducing standing around waiting for the kettle to boil.

The question on everyone’s lips. Workplace Health and Safety in an increasingly flexible and mobile world As the shift to a mobile workforce increases, we must consider how obligations regarding Workplace Health and Safety impact your mobile workforce strategy, and the actions an individual take to ensure a safe working environment.

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Seeing as a mobile workforce is just that - mobile - individuals are able to complete their work from a variety of locations. Consequently, implications begin with the description of Workplace Health and Safety moving towards Work Health and Safety (WHS). To learn more, we talked to Ben Wilson - Data#3’s own Workplace Health and Safety Officer. Ben is an experienced WHS officer, and as Data#3 have a significant number of mobile employees he has had the opportunity to manage WHS when an employee is working remotely. Below is the transcript from the interview. What aspects of WHS must we consider in the mobile workforce? The general tagline in the legislation is that as a company you need to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all its workers in relations to all of the work activity individuals undertake. We have to consider that the duties that employees undertake do not affect other people as well, whether that includes contractors, sub-contractors or the general public. There are many activities which occur that have several associated risks. As a person can work in a variety of locations or find themselves in different situations external to the traditional

workplace we are still graining an understanding of the different risks. The key is to identify any risks early. Within Data#3, when we have a resource on a customer site or working remotely it is imperative to obtain a good understanding of the site and have constant communication between the individuals and the companies to outline and WHS issues which need to be addressed. Also we must define who is a worker and what is a workplace. The key factor is the changing definitions within the legislation. Is a person covered if they are working at a café and a waiter or waitress accidently spills coffee on them? There are many situations which are out of our control and will be explored and addressed as they arise. However, if individuals keep their working area in a good condition and the equipment that is provided is safe goes a long way to minimise incidents. Is there anything the employer can do to monitor the employees WHS conditions? Aside from having regular inspections of work areas, an employee can send the company as much information about the work area as possible.

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It is difficult and unpractical to continually visit a remote resource in distant location to make sure that their working area is safe. Especially for people working from home they might feel violated of having constant inspection of their home office. In the past, here at Data#3, I have had employees take and send me photos of their work area. We can use this for evidence if an incident does occur or determine an unsafe working environment prior to in incident occurring. Do you believe it is up to the employer or employee to determine whether their working environment is suitable? It is a mixture of responsibility for both the company and the individuals. In a traditional workforce, employees are generally able to quickly highlight to management anything that they believe to be a WHS hazard. Across the legislation individuals have been given more responsibility regarding WHS. In a working from home situation the employer is unlikely to be made aware of a hazard.

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Therefore, it is the responsibility of the individual to highlight the hazard to the employer which they can later list recommendations to reduce or remove the hazard. What if a customer site has unsuitable WHS standards? It would depend on whether the customer workplace started in that condition or degraded while a resource was on that site over time. There are a few avenues we can take to ensure the safety of your employees. We need to have an expectation that a customer site will provide a safe working environment. From there we can use contractual arrangements of our expectations to ensure a safe work site. If the customer does not comply then it is in the company’s right to remove the resource. If conditions are degrading, then I would suggest the individual approach me or someone in a similar position and we can address any concerns they have. If the concerns which they did raise were not resolved or addressed and the individual is still not comfortable then they need to remove themselves from that environment. While there are cases of people just “walking away”, it is a last resort option.

You will always need to consider the ramifications from the business perspective. How can people report occupation health and safety hazards? At Data#3 we use the ATLAS program which allows people to raise any types of request regarding a change or for a problem. It is easy to raise issues and provide details in an instant report form. Staff can tailor the report and use the WHS category which will send the request directly to me. If on a customer site or working in another location my best advice would be to use their system for identifying hazards and raising requests. If the request is not resolved, I would then recommend getting in contact with your company’s WHS officer to try and resolve the problem. What are the things people forget to consider in regards to WHS? There are many ongoing obligations when you are working remotely or as part of a mobile workforce. Depending on length of time away it is easy to forget you have obligations.

If you are constantly working from home or another remote location then it is critical to understand the value of an effective workstation. The simplest thing such as not having a comfortable chair in a natural working position will leave you with chronic effects. What do you recommend for employees who work from home/travel? Ensure that you have an effective work area set-up. Be sure that your equipment is in a serviceable condition to limit any faults. How can we limit WHS hazards? By identifying the issues when they arise or before you create a new work area. The more we know the better we can rectify any situation before they become unmanageable. If there is a hazard whose responsibility is it to rectify this? This really depends on the hazard, if there is a problem with a personal building then there is not much the company can really do. For example, if the work station is on the left and all the power points are on the right then the individual would have to move the work station to not have any running cords to trip over etc. © Copyright Data#3 Limited 2012

If it is equipment or the environment then it could become management issues. Specific responsibilities are generally left with a variety of people who must take the initiative to make any changes. How often should you assess the risks associated with the mobile workforce? The best time to assess a location is when it is being established. Then in 4-6 months, WHS can come and revisit the work area to determine if there has been a change and to assess the risk management around the change. Ideally, WHS would like to know whenever a major change has occurred to that we are aware of any risks that may arise. Similarly, if you are in someone else’s work site and there has been a change you need to think how the change will impact me and my work habits and if it is a threat. A major concern is that when individuals try and resolve one issue they inherently cause a new issue. Before you start a new process we need to identify any hazards and create controls.

Where can people find more about WHS about the mobile workforce? Within Data#3 we publish information that is easily accessible via our intranet in WHS area. Externally, I would use the relevant state government websites - as more and more information is now being published on your legislative obligations, guidelines and tips regarding mobile workers.

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The next steps Setting the foundation for mobility in your organisation Whilst the information presented in this paper can inform you and your stakeholders regarding a path forward, making it actionable and relevant to your organisation can be difficult and time consuming. The Data#3 Business Productivity Services team can help you set the foundation for enabling flexibility within your workforce enabled by technology. Our mobility foundations offering is a structured, consultative approach to identifying the roadblocks your organisaiton will need to overcome, and strategies you can implement to overcome them when establishing your mobility strategy.

Overview Successfully moving to a flexible and mobile work environment usually will require a number of technical, physical and cultural changes to the organisation itself. This transition requires an understanding how the business currently operates and what significant changes will be experienced by staff as a result of the transition. Across a number of days, a Data#3 Business Productivity Specialist will work with key stakeholders within your organisation to help articulate what those changes (for example managing mobile personnel, moving to unassigned desks etc.) may look like relevant to your organisation, your goals, and your current infrastructure. Armed with this information, a Data#3 Business Productivity Specialist will conduct a workshop with the appropriate target audience (management, mobile individuals or decision makers and stakeholders) to share the knowledge learnt with regards to: • future work practices, • strategies for enhancing productivity,

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• recommendations for leadership, opportunities for development and current areas of concern. Session Duration Between 1.5 and 2 hours depending on the attending audience. Format The session is to be interactive including both presentation content and activities for maximum audience engagement. The objectives of the session will depend on the audience(s) selected by the business, depending on the required outcome. Management Staff: • Presentations of findings during Data#3’s investigation and how this impacts on managers/ leaders in the organisation. • The session will also provide insights and strategies into leading staff who work away from the office based on evidence from neuroscience and business thought leaders. This will cover motivation strategies, performance measurement, communication and day-to-day management.

Mobile (or transitioning) Staff: • Advice for moving to a mobile/ flexible work environment including strategies for maintaining productivity, overcoming the shock of hot desking, communicating with co-workers, leveraging the businesses available technology. • The session will also specify how staff will be required to work differently and what will change for them Project Team/Business: • If the session is directed at a project team, key stakeholders or the business in general, the specialist will detail investigation findings, opportunities for future improvement, potential points of resistance and considerations prior to project implementation. Logistical Requirements • Projector • Whiteboard/ Flip chart • Up to 30 participants per session to ensure the facilitator can maintaining participant engagement

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The Data#3 Business Productivity Specialist will work with your organisation to identify the target audience and relevant content to ensure the required outcome is met. The outcomes of the information gathering and workshop exercises will be consolidated into a report which is the ultimate deliverable of this engagement

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Investment We offer our foundations program as a fixed price investment based on the size of your organisation. As the size and complexity of your organisation grows, so does the requirement to engage deeper to ensure the most relevant outcome for your organisation. $10 000 ex GST for organisations < 500 seats • 4 days of information gathering (on-site) • 1 day of workshop facilitation (on-site - up to 2 workshops) • 2 days of consolidation and preparation of report deliverable (off-site) $25 000 ex GST for organisations > 500 seats • 10 days of information gathering (on-site) • 3 days of workshop facilitation (on-site - up to 6 workshops) • 3 days of consolidation and preparation of report deliverable (off-site)

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$48 000 ex GST for organisations > 2000 seats • 20 days of information gathering (on-site) • 5 days of workshop facilitation (on-site - up to 10 workshops) • 5 days of consolidation and preparation of report deliverable (off-site)

Helping you unlock the potential of your investment in technology… and people: Data#3’s Business Productivity Services team. We work with organisation’s like yours to deliver positive productivity outcomes.

Across both public and private sector organisations within Australia and the Asia Pacific, our award winning team deliver: • organisatonal change management programs associated with technology driven change, • user adoption programs to ensure people have the knowledge and skills to deliver more value from technology, • proactive productivity programs to unlock the potential of your people irrespective of your technology platform. The results speak for themselves. For more information or to learn how Data#3’s Business Productivity Services team can ensure your people are not a victim of technology, contact your Data#3 Account Manager or call 1300 23 28 23.

Contact Details www.data3.com.au 1300 23 28 23 Follow Us: twitter.com/Data3Limited facebook.com/Data3Limited

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