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Telecommuter Tips - Training the Boss
by K. Laskowski © 2001
You have a phone. You have a PC with an internet connection. You have the basic tools you need, so why not work from home? Some jobs lend themselves much better than others to telecommuting, but certain aspects of almost any job can be done effectively from almost anywhere (OK, if you are bagging groceries, you really do need to be physically present at the store). But if a corporation is paying you for the use of your brain, why does your boss need to see your body to know that you are working?
The answer is, he/she doesn't. In most cases, however, your boss has been trained to expect to see your body sitting at your desk to know you are at work. To be a successful corporate telecommuter, you need to retrain your boss to focus on the quality and quantity of your output to gage whether or not you are working. This is not always an easy task, even if you work for a company with a formal telecommuting program. But whether your telecommuting experience is successful or stressful depends in large part on the support you receive from your boss.
Even if you have been telecommuting for years, sooner or later your boss is going to change, and you'll be faced with having to 'train' the boss all over again. Here are some tips to help:
Make sure you and your boss have a clear, mutually agreed upon set of expectations up front. Things like, hours you will be working and what to do in case something comes up which requires you to NOT be working during this time, what if any meetings you will be required to attend 'in person', how the boss can contact you in case he/she needs to talk to you 'right now' (if your boss is an 'urgent note on the chair' type, this one is especially important to get right). Your goal here is to make the boss as comfortable as possible that all the bases are covered.
Make sure you go out of your way to keep your boss informed about what you are working on. Make a conscious effort to include your boss as a 'copy to' on important emails (maybe even all emails if you perceive the slightest degree of skepticism or hesitation on the boss's part). Forward important voice mail messages to your boss as an FYI. Remember, your boss can't see you 'running' to get to a last minute meeting, or just ask you how things are going in hallway conversation – it's up to you to keep the boss informed.
Let your boss know when things aren't going well. This one really applies whether you are telecommuting or not. It's always better for the boss to find out from you than from someone else when there are problems with what you are working on – but if you are telecommuting you don't want to give the boss any reason to insist you need to 'come in' to work, so make sure any bad news comes from you – and be sure you include the steps you are taking to fix the problem.
Enlist support from co-workers. If a project went especially well, ask them to include your boss on the copy to for the 'great job' email. Ask a trusted friend in your group to let you know if they hear anything (positive or negative) from the boss or anyone else on your telecommuting arrangement. The idea is to get a heads up if there are any perception problems on your boss's part, or even with some of your co-workers, so you can nip this in the bud. You can't do anything about it if you don't know, so having someone who is willing to be your 'eyes and ears' in the office can be a big help.
Face it, it will take some extra effort on you part to make sure your boss is completely comfortable that your telecommuting arrangement is working successfully for the company. More effort with some bosses than with others – but the payoff is definitely worth it.
For more articles by this author, click here.
Download Kathy's free ebook Get In The e-Zone at:
e-Book-Zone.com.
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