Catalyst Blog

The fierce blizzard that slammed the Northeast U.S. in the last days of 2010 reminded me of the importance of a few things: hot chocolate with marshmallows, a pair of thick waterproof boots, and a strong work-at-home business culture.

Catalyst’s offices were closed for the holidays when the storm hit, but if the blizzard had struck during normal business hours we would have been prepared. Equipped with webcams, headphones, and the latest virtual meeting software, Catalyst employees can connect with one another regardless of location. Bad weather no longer means work has to stop.

And this is a good thing!

Economies lose money when harsh weather strikes. Meetings are cancelled, opportunities are missed, and clients and customers aren’t served. Last month, the Centre for Economics and Business Research estimated that the UK lost £1 billion a day amid record snowstorms, while in 2009 AOL Daily Finance estimated that snowfall can cost America a staggering $48.8 billion per day in lost sales and productivity.

Losses could be minimized for businesses that value and prioritize agility over face-time. In my last blog post about working from home, I discussed just how crippling a rigid office-based organization can be. In the comments section, one reader asked, “What do you recommend for staying in touch and in tune with your colleagues from afar?” I noted the importance of communicating your availability to your team, how I play close attention to time zones and personal schedules when organizing virtual meetings, and why I appoint an “IM buddy” to take questions and comments via instant messaging during meetings.

As the snowflakes fell last week, I thought about some additional tips. Here are three more that can help ensure a W@H culture is cohesive and productive—even during the harshest storms:

- Collaboration is essential. Employees working remotely and in-office should use web-based collaboration tools to ensure that team members work in harmony. Among other features, these tools enable users to share ideas and chart progress in real time.

- Stop and review. Review new work-at-home arrangements frequently. Does all the necessary software and hardware work properly? Is the virtual environment conducive to getting the specific job done? Frequent review ensures that team members are optimized for success.

- Virtual hang-outs. Schedule “water cooler chats” with colleagues that you connect with virtually. How are you? How are the kids? Sharing non-work interests and activities builds cohesion that can go a long way in keeping your virtual team engaged.

Do you have any suggestions on cultivating a strong W@H culture? Let me know in the comments below.

Almost every weekday morning, messages with the subject “W@H” sprinkle my work email. In Catalyst-speak, this means “working from home today.” While emails like these might spike the blood pressure of managers at other organizations, for me, every “W@H” email is an indicator of just how streamlined and agile our workforce is.

Working from home works—it’s a win-win for employees and companies.

OK, full disclosure: I’m an early adopter. Working from home (and on the road) in 1993, I quickly learned that when the job keeps you on the go, you can keep working. Even back then, I was able to connect seamlessly to my company’s network and keep track of my calendar, emails, files, and databases. Technology has progressed since—sharing voice messages, video, and data has never been cheaper and faster. The technology is here, but many companies are not.

There is still a mindset that dictates shared space, four walls, in-person meetings, and all the trappings of face-time-driven, mid-century corporate America.  Especially in this global economy, why does this still exist?

Some companies have learned the hard way—during snowstorms or other disasters—just how crippling a rigid office-based organization can be. Even without these unexpected events, the reality of an everyday commute should inspire change toward flexibility. In the United States, employees spend an average of 49 minutes getting to and from work each day. Talk about a waste of productivity—and personal time. The total amount of time spent commuting each year is longer than most people’s annual vacation!

The emphasis at Catalyst is not on face-time, but results and getting work done effectively and efficiently. Offering the option to ditch the daily commute is good for a company’s bottom line too—many organizations have saved millions by rethinking and reducing their office space. And Catalyst research suggests that working from home can boost motivation. More satisfied employees translates into lower turnover and, potentially, higher customer satisfaction. Driving less also lowers stress, improves health, and helps the environment.

Some countries are realizing the value of W@H. On November 24, 2010, Canadians celebrated their first National Work From Home Day. As my colleague Deborah Gillis said on her blog to mark the occasion: “When our team is productive—conducting research, planning events, and serving our members across the country—it really doesn’t matter whether we’re working from a house in the suburbs, or the office an hour’s drive away.”

I couldn’t agree more. The only question is: why promote just one day a year to work from home? In today’s 24/7 global economy, the virtual worker has become a business necessity—not just a nicety. Companies that fail to update their work model will be left behind.

“If you want to understand the past, look at current conditions,” said PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi at last night’s Catalyst Awards Dinner, quoting an old Chinese proverb. “But if you want to understand the future, look at today’s actions.”

All the great speeches and conversations about the Award-winning gender initiatives from Campbell Soup, Deloitte, RBC, and Telstra demonstrated a bright future for women in business. A lot of work remains to be done, but I left The Waldorf last night knowing we were a little closer to gender parity in business leadership.

The day was filled with engaging, inspirational, and sometimes hilarious moments. I appreciated the down-to-earth advice on men championing women from Frank McCloskey, Vice President of Diversity at Georgia Power. “It’s a manager’s obligation to create a work environment where everyone is valued,” he told a standing-room crowd. “I hope y’all change your culture—if not, we’ll take your people,” he jibed.

Later that day, Irene Chang Britt, President of Campbell Soup, North America, discussed her views on work-life. Like me, she does not like to use the word “balance.” She prefers the term: “work-life integration.” After all, she said, “We’re all nuts if we think we’re balanced.”

(more…)

A CEO on Catalyst’s Board of Directors recently told me, “The business world is 24/7/365—people are not.”  In managing her employees, she works from that mindset. She places more value on their levels of engagement and productivity and less emphasis on the hours they log at their desks.

Why is it that so many people consider this an issue of “work-life balance?” I don’t like to use the word “balance” because it infers that equilibrium is the norm and puts the onus of achieving that equilibrium squarely on the shoulders of the individual. I am not alone—many others have abandoned the untenable concept of “balance.” As noted by working dad and blogger, Paul Nyhan, in an online chat last year:

“The word I think is needed is rhythm. I have said work-life balance is a crock, and what I aspire to is a sense of rhythm, there will be crazy busy times and quieter times, but having the tools and flexibility to gain a rhythm to balancing work and family.”

Over the years, Catalyst has developed a workforce approach we call WLE, short for “work-life effectiveness.” Our reports on WLE—Making Change—Beyond Flexibility I, Making Change—Beyond Flexibility II, and Making Change: Building a Flexible Workplace—outline a team-based approach that shifts the traditional request for flexibility from “me” to an organizational tool for “us.” At its core, WLE recognizes that people who work have lives outside of work. Pretty cutting edge, no?

(more…)