Workopolis National Work From Home Day

Grant's Perspective on ... telecommuting.

I noticed that Workopolis is encouraging companies to let employees telecommute to work once a week.

"We spend a lot of time and money getting to and from work each day, not to mention the environmental strain and stress that comes with commuting," Kelly Dixon, president of Workopolis, said in a statement. "Today, working from home is a viable option for many. We need to continue to promote the benefits of telecommuting and encourage more flexible working arrangements for Canadian workers."

With the technological advances in videoconferencing this is a real possibility. You can see the person that you are talking with and easily share computer screens and files.

Our website has a simple calculator (you do not have to give us your contact info to try). You check either US Dollar, British pound or Euro and then enter the price of gas, miles per gallon (or kilometers per litre, depending on currency) and distance you commute and your results are calculated.

click here to give it a try!

Give us a call if you want to learn more about videoconferencing.

I know that technology can help you be more productive and enjoy a better quality of life. I know I could not service all my clients in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta and still be home to have dinner and the evening with my kids without it.

Grant

Telecommute Would Save Calgary $53B

Grant's Perspective on ... telecommuting to save travel costs and improve worker productivity.

 I read with interest about the Calgary Economic Development WORKshift initiative that encourages organizations to consider telecommuting. They have a white paper that claims that $53 billion a year would be saved if workers telecommuted twice a week.

A Calgary Herald article stated that a major impediment to telecommuting was that "... managers believe that they have to see people working in the office," said (Bob) Schulz, a professor at the U of C's Haskayne School of Business."

If the organization deployed personal videoconferencing systems (we can help with that) then employees can talk and see each other as well as share computer screens. The reluctant managers could be reassured that the employees are working! Many people are already comfortable collaborating with other people who are not located at the same office. 

As the report suggests: save money, create a smaller carbon footprint and foster productive and loyal employees.

Give it a try.

Grant

Telecommuting: A Part of Business Continuity Planning

Grant's Perspective on ... telecommuting as a part of a business continuity plan.

I have generally thought of telecommuting as a life/work balance tool. The recent article by Government Executive reminds me that telecommuting is a way to keep a business moving forward during unusual circumstances (floods and blizzards from a Manitoba perspective).

People who may telecommute for one or two days a week now have an alternative work plan in place if a major disruption occurs.

Grant