The Out-Of-Office Challenge

by Stephen Foskett / Sep 13

As an IT consultant for more than a decade, I have experienced a wide variety of work situations. I’ve commuted and sat in headquarters, a few doors down from the CEO; I’ve managed from remote sites with a dozen co-workers; and I’ve spent years working out of my home office and on the road as needed. Each has its own unique challenges, but none more than the out-of-office experience. If you want to work from home and the road, you must focus more than ever on organization and interaction or you will fail.

One frequent gripe I heard when working in a traditional office setting was that people would constantly interrupt, inviting participation and input just because of one’s physical presence. This phenomenon is certainly true: I spent easily half of my day in the office working with others on surprise assignments or in unforeseen meetings. And the reverse is true as well: Now that I work from home or client sites nearly all the time, I am rarely interrupted by others.

This solitude can harm, though. Being out of the office means not knowing which way the political wind is blowing, not hearing the latest news, and not being top-of-mind when input is needed. I would not be surprised if, statistically, remote workers see less rewards in terms of bonuses and advancement than those who sit in the corporate office.

The Technological Leash

Although IT-enabled remote workers like to lambaste their BlackBerries and laptops as technological leashes, they can help to mitigate the out-of-office challenge. My mobile phone usage skyrocketed once I became a mobile worker, so I began to use voice-over-IP services like Skype to contain costs while maintaining a higher level of connection. There is no substitute for in-person interaction, but a voice call is a reasonable alternative. Tip: Make a list of people to call and times to “check in” on a regular basis, especially if you rarely appear in the office in person.

Mobile email and calendaring is essential for the remote worker. The iPhone was seriously limited in its first year on the market since it could not even display calendar invites, but the new 2.0 software makes it eminently capable for Exchange users. No matter what platform is used, it is essential to actively monitor and respond to email and invitations throughout the workday in order to be an effective worker. Tip: Set the email signature on mobile devices like BlackBerries to match the one on your desktop email client – no one (especially your clients) needs to know you’re not at your desk!

No matter how good a mobile phone or PDA is, there is no substitute for a real computer, and modern notebook models are extremely capable. All remote workers should use a robust portable computer with all necessary applications, and should keep it handy throughout the workday. My home office consists of a high-quality multifunction printer/scanner, a large LCD monitor, an excellent keyboard and mouse, and a large backup drive. No desktop is needed – my entire virtual desktop travels with me wherever I go. Tip: Make sure you specify plenty of RAM and disk capacity on your notebook, and that you are using encryption and mobile backup technologies to protect your data!

Keeping Connected

The key to being an effective “road warrior” is to keep connected at all times. Use the phone, actively involve yourself in ongoing projects, and be able to get your work done at all times to avoid the “not here” syndrome.

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