Page 63 - Managing the Mobile Workforce

42 � mAnAgIng the moBIle workForCe

Old Rules (Assumptions) New Rules

Relationships are limited to whom I can You can interact with almost anyone
meet personally. you want online and develop deep
relationships with people you’ve never
met face to face.

Work I initiate occurs when I initiate it. This one is a little tricky. With technology
(e.g., an online class), you can set up the
work—the communication, the work
process—which can occur asynchro-
nously (i.e., at a different time).

What would you add?

Now, let’s examine the old rules (assumptions) and new rules we
identified in the table a little more deeply. This will start your think-
ing, but there are many more assumptions that may be holding back
your thinking that you can identify on your own.

Old Rule (Assumption): Work is a physical place (as in, “I’m
going to work”).
New Rule: Work is something you do (as in, “I have work that
needs to be accomplished”).

Work is no longer the place where people gather to get things done.
It’s not the location with technology, and resources, and human connec-
tion that enables employees to be productive. It is a place where these
things occur—not the only place. In fact, in the future most people
may never step foot into the type of central location that, for the last
century, has been called “work.” Work can occur anywhere, and should
occur where it can be completed the most effectively and efficiently.
Why in the world spend society’s money to keep building roads and
infrastructure and buildings when we don’t have to? Why clutter the
ozone with unneeded pollution? Sure, sometimes the best place to work