Page 124 - Managing the Mobile Workforce

strategic leadership in a Virtual world � 103

home. I’ve got a huge savings coming my way because I don’t have to pay
a lease space to a landlord. This is already happening. We negotiated that
with our union. The employees agreed to it. We’ve been able to define
what their work product is. They are still handling the exact same case
load. Now I don’t have to pay for office space. It is a huge government
savings. That is a huge savings to the taxpayer.

What are your competitors doing to lower costs and increase pro-
ductivity in a tight economy? Do you want to be the last kid on the
block to get your BB gun? The last person to wear a hoop skirt or a
paisley shirt? It’s time to move! Do you want to be the only one with
employees still coming in to a big building from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m., Monday through Friday, while everyone else in your industry
is closing unneeded buildings by matching the employee to the work,
not the work to a prearranged, inflexible schedule and location?
What new opportunities for moving to mobility does this economy offer
your organization?

The Employee
Enterprise cutbacks, layoffs, downsizing, and even company closings
have created more opportunities for individuals to use technology
outside of the office. They become more self-sufficient in using and
buying computers, and in installing Internet connections and wireless
technologies. That, in turn, provides them more freedom from the
office cubicle and offers the potential for a better work–life balance.
It’s a management philosophy that turns “shared control” over to the
employee. Just consider for a moment what it takes to change the de-
cision process, polices, roles, technology, communications, security,
hardware, and software to facilitate “shared control” of the employees’
own work environment, which includes scheduling and independently
working away from the eyes of their managers.
What new opportunities for moving to mobility do these contemporary,
raring-to-try-virtuality employees offer your organization?