IT Management has been considering the possibilities of supporting a teleworker
workforce for months now. Trying to understand the issues associated with supporting such a worker is a time consuming process. There are many, many issues that must be thought through…..from office phones, network connectivity, application accessibility, accountability, not to mention the numerous business processes that could be impacted and/or change. It is not a simple decision of whether or not to do it….it is far more complex than that. The question of whether or not we should consider it seems simple…when looking at the price of fuel, commute distances, and environmental issues associated with the combustible engine…the answer is a resounding yes…but there is more to it.Is it the right solution for MDC at the right time….that’s a tougher question. Technology can certainly be utilized to have save business expenses….just think about the possibilities if this Agency embraces (and can afford) the telework scenario. Imagine that 30 to 40% of its workforce now does not need an office provided to them. The building space itself, the office furniture, the utilities….all things associated with providing an office space goes away….think about the cost savings that could be realized! Now that technology isn’t necessarily without a cost though. Our infrastructure would have to be able to accommodate such a business model and certainly our Organization would have to be willing to change a number of internal processes too. So while there are many things to consider for such a program, I for one am willing to do the “leg work” to see if this opportunity can become a viable solution for the Agency to consider.
What do you think...?
TAFN
2 comments:
You bring up some really good discussion points, but it seems to me that the issue of Telecommuting currently revolves around a business rule issues and existing mindset rather than technological problems.
Not to say that there aren't technological hurdles that need to be overcome, but the culture inside MDC doesn't lend itself very well to the idea of a mobile employee. I could currently accomplish the lion's share of my daily tasks from any location in the world...so long as I have an active/stable internet connection (preferable a fast connection as well, but that matters less than stability).
With that said, the current management climate has never appeared keen to even broach a telecommuting solution, even if technically feasible today. I'm not holding MDC as an agency solely responsible either, as it might be holdover from the larger culture of government as a whole. From all the time that I've spent in goverment, the entity overall seems reluctant to embrace change in any sort of timely manner.
With that said, that doesn't negate our responsibility as professionals, IT and management alike, to think critically about what would be the most advantageous for both the organization and the individual.
It's a shade out-dated (originally published Dec. 2006), but the following article from Business Week magazine speaks directly to these types of issues and existing corporate reluctance to embrace similar changes: businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_50/b4013001.htm .
I'm not surprised at all that this kind of proposal is on a slow simmer. :P
I won't disagree with your comments. Corporate culture has a great deal to do with modeling and changing processes within an organization. My direction within IT is to make sure we as an IT Services group are preparing for those technologies "when and if" they come to bare. Gone are the days when IT or Technology could DRIVE the solutions just because we understood it best....
Thanks for your comments! ...would be an interesting dialogue to discuss further...
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