Work Essentials: Today’s software and mobile devices enable new breed of ‘Road Warriors’
By Nina Bondarook
Gini Courter only worked out of her company’s office in Grand Traverse County, Michigan twice during the first half of the year. The balance of her time was spent traveling to provide software training and business solutions to clients of Triad Consulting, the firm she co-founded there 10 years ago.
“I spend 99.9 percent of my work time at client sites, in hotels or at remote locations,” says Courter, Triad’s managing partner. “I’m still adapting. Every time I see a laptop case with a couple of new features, I start to drool.”
She’s among a growing breed of Road Warriors who use today’s technologies to work from ‘any location at any time.’ In fact, Massachusetts-based IDC, a marketing research firm, estimates that by 2009 there will be more than 878 million mobile workers worldwide.
Sales people and repairmen were among the nation’s first mobile workers. But Courter says it’s a trend that’s being driven today by employees across the board who seek the flexibility and “higher quality of life” that a mobile environment can provide.
Businesses, too, are reaping the benefits. Studies show employees who telecommute from home or are mobile can save employers as much as $10,000 per year, depending upon how companies calculate their savings and other factors. For example, some businesses count the rent savings they accrue when employees move off site and smaller office spaces are required for operations. Others calculate the positive impact that happy mobile-enabled employees can have via reductions in absenteeism and employee churn. However launching a mobile initiative can also require additional investment in infrastructure, software, wireless devices and computer support.
At a very minimum, companies who send employees into the field should provide them with a wireless PC and a cell phone, says Lori Quaranta, co-founder of Consetta.com in Seattle, Wash., which provides small- and medium-sized businesses with Web solutions. In order to be truly effective, however, employees also will need a national wireless card that enables them to connect to the Internet from any location, remote access to e-mail via that laptop or some other type of personal digital assistant, and remote access to any database of information they’ll need in their work.
Nokia Corp. is one of the companies banking on the growth of the mobile workforce. In a company white paper, Nokia says it conducted a study in September 2005 that found most employees spend as much as one-third of their time away from their desks, and another third of their time conducting business out of the office.
“The ability to work while you’re on the road is no longer a competitive advantage; it’s a competitive expectation,” says consultant Laura Stack of Denver, Colo., who is ‘The Productivity Pro’ and founder of the company that shares that moniker.
“It’s becoming standard protocol to carry a Blackberry/Treo device so that you’re accessible when you’re away from the office,” says Stack, who averages 10 business trips a month. “But it’s not for everyone. Addictions (to wireless devices) can form fairly quickly for those who don’t insist on privacy or never turn them off. If your significant other says you shouldn’t be bringing your SmartPhone to bed, it’s probably too late for caution. You’re already addicted.”
That, says Courter, is exactly why both employers and employees need to develop written agreements and clear guidelines for mobile work. Not every employee is a good candidate for a mobile job, she says. “Mobile employees need to be self-reliant, self-supervising, task-oriented workers. And they need to know how to use technology to get the job done.”
When they do go on the road, she adds, mobile workers should give themselves 30 days to settle into their new environments before evaluating their performance.
“People are going to have to be disciplined enough to shut off their mobile devices, or they’ll lose the work/life balance they were striving for in the first place,” Quaranta adds. “And don’t forget the human interaction side of things either. Even today, getting on the phone or conducting a face-to-face meeting can be more effective than relying solely on e-mail to communicate.”
Anyone interested in learning more about the growing mobile workforce can find a plethora of information on the Internet – especially on the Web sites of manufacturers that product mobile devices and software. Microsoft Work Essentials, for example, provides in-depth articles by non-Microsoft industry experts, software demos, downloadable templates and webcasts covering topics such as how to use Microsoft Office software on mobile devices, how to collaborate with co-workers when you’re working remotely, how to use instant messaging, and tips for working effectively as part of a virtual team. You can find them at: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011543061033.aspx .
Workers' Average Commute Round-Trip Is 46 Minutes in a Typical Day
The results from the Gallup Organization's annual Work and Education survey show the average American averages 46 minutes commuting to and from work in a typical day. If you take out those who work at home, the average increases to 48.1 minutes per day. However, if you have above-average income and work more than 40 hours a week, your commute is greater than the average, and so is your stress level. Since the advice "move, earn less, and work fewer hours" doesn't work, let me instead give you some ideas to make your commute more productive, efficient, and stress-free:
Use the phone. Now I’m one of those people who get aggravated while people are chatting away on their cell phones while driving…generally because they’re not, well, driving. Many people have no idea how slowly they’re going while they’re on the phone. Plus talking on the phone has proven to be unsafe, and many states have passed ordinances against it. Often, you’ll see someone pulled over to the side of the road to make a call.
That being said, you can get a hands-free phone installed, which uses a mounted phone and speakers. Many phones, like the Treo 650, use Bluetooth technology, which allows you to wear a wireless earpiece and talk hands-free. By using these safe options, you can still use your phone to call clients or catch up with friends and family while still keeping your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.
Clear your brain. Basically, use your morning commute as a warm up to your day. On the way to work, do whatever helps you focus and arrive at your desk raring to go. For mass transit travelers, that may mean reading the daily paper with a cup of coffee. Drivers may like to listen to news radio for their daily summary.
Bond with your family. While driving together to “away” games or a relative’s house, you can sing songs, quiz your child on his spelling words, play “I spy” or another travel game, or listen to stories. When your eyes are on the road, your child may feel more comfortable than usual bringing up a touchy subject, so be available to just listen as well.
Shift your schedule. If you frequently get stuck in traffic, consider changing your schedule slightly to hit the road slightly before or after the rush, and use the time on either side to organize your day.
Use a voice recorder. I knew a professional speaker who wrote an entire book by talking while driving. She clipped a microphone on to her shirt and talked into a recording device (there are many available). Then she simply had those tapes transcribed, hired an editor to clean it up, and printed it at www.instantpublisher.com. She has published a book at the rate of about one a year using this method. Other people get voice recorders (Radio Shack sells a good one) with several minutes of tape and dictate their letters while on the go. If you’re blessed enough to have an assistant, he or she can type your letters from the recording. Some cell phones also have recorders built into them, so you can make your to-do list or remind yourself of things as you think of them. Do NOT, under any circumstances, attempt to write while driving unless you’re completely stopped.
Listen to books on tape. My favorite place to eat breakfast is a restaurant called Cracker Barrel…hash brown casserole, grits, and honey ham, baked apples…oh, sorry! The closest one to me is an hour’s drive away, so I don’t get to frequent it often enough because of traffic. But if you’re lucky enough to have one in your hometown or pass a sign for one along the road, STOP. You’ll notice that Cracker Barrel restaurants are always built right off an interstate exit. One of the founders’ core strategies was to make them easy on, easy off from the interstate. You could get to the next one on a tank of gas, refuel, grab a bite, buy what you need (and what you don’t need) in their little store, and get back on the road. Cracker Barrel has also came up with a clever book-on-tape program for frequent travelers. The next time you visit this restaurant, look for the spinning rack of tapes. You can purchase one audio book and, for a nominal fee, trade it in for another, anytime, at any other Cracker Barrel. Or you can get tapes and CDs from your local library before you go on a trip. You’ll notice that your perception of drive time is greatly reduced when you’re listening to an audio book. Your brain gets engaged in the story and time flies by. I have a friend who was planning an international trip, so she listened to French language tapes while in the car. Within three months, she learned enough French to get around nicely while there.
Carpool with your spouse. If you work roughly in the same area, hitch a ride with your sweetie! You can use the extra time each day to talk. While one person drives, the other can take care of miscellaneous family business on the phone. By the time you reach your door, the calls will be done and you can enjoy more quality time together at home.
Take the train instead. If you’re lucky enough to have a great public transportation system, use it! Of course, many professionals are forced into taking commuter trains because of traffic or distance or speed. But many people have told me they live for their train time because they can complete light paperwork, catch up on reading, pay bills, or just nap. By the time they arrive home, they feel rested and can settle into the second shift.
What are some other ways you take advantage of your commute time?
August 24, 2007 in Article, Comment, Energy, Getting things done, Life Balance, Mobile workforce, Personal productivity, Research, Stress, Time management, Timewasters, Website links, Wellness | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)