Page 65 - Managing the Mobile Workforce

44 � mAnAgIng the moBIle workForCe

lead to a massive waste of facilities and equipment (everything is
empty and turned off from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m.) but it is misguided from
the start. Work should occur when and where it is best accomplished.

Drive Time + Clocked-in at the Cubicle vs. Answering E-mails
in Morning Slippers with Coffee. Hmmmm . . . .

The risk of allowing employees to manage their own time and
location, deciding when and where they work, is a small one if the
expectations are clearly set up-front. When the employee is managed
by performance objectives, based on delivered output, then the pres-
sure to perform is a constant motivator for the mobile worker, 24/7.
There is a “happiness factor” and productivity scale regard-
ing those employees who really like working from home, or on the
road, but specifically not in an office, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. With a mobile
workforce “micromanagement” just doesn’t work. It’s not accepted or
needed. The mobile worker who is an independent thinker and is able
to evaluate objectively and solve problems commands respect and pro-
vides a measurable ROA based on performance measurements rather
than on the number of hours worked. Working mobilely can create
a life–work balance that scores high on the “happiness factor,” and
managers in this new environment understand its value.

Old Rule (Assumption): Employees have to be controlled.
New Rule: Employees are responsible for results!

We’ll talk in Chapter 6 about ROWE, a Results-Only Work En-
vironment, but for now ask yourself why employees like Jodi LaBrie
love to work at companies like Deloitte. It’s because they are respon-
sible for results! People hate to be micromanaged. Let desired results
and a great work environment take the place of control. Let workers
dictate their own hours, where they work, and with whom they in-
teract. In that climate you are a coach, a booster, a resource provider,
and a blocking tackle—clearing the way so that people can succeed.