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that not all jobs are suited to telecommuting,
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but what about the people?
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Are all people compatible with telecommuting?
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It is actually an alternative way of managing
00:00:15
one's life that requires qualities such as self-discipline,
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and openness to collaborative tools.
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In this video we will analyse the challenges
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faced by teleworkers and how to address them.
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A study by Buffer on telecommuters a few weeks before the pandemic
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identified the challenges telecommuters said they were facing.
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20% a challenge in collaboration and communication.
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18% not being able to unplug.
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12% distractions at home.
00:00:54
10% being in a different time zone.
00:00:57
7% staying motivated,
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5% taking vacation time,
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and 3% finding reliable Wi Fi.
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In the light of these difficulties,
00:01:10
one might infer that telecommuting is not for everyone,
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or at least that the majority of employees will definitely suffer
00:01:18
as a result of full-time telecommuting.
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Let us review these challenges
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that both remote workers and their managers will have to take into consideration
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to facilitate telecommuting.
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collaboration and communication.
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Physical distance deprives us of nonverbal and human warmth.
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do not fully capture all intentions,
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tending to interpret often negatively messages from others.
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We should keep in mind
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that communication is 55% body language
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we recommend communicating as much as possible by video or telephone
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in order to bring nonverbal communication
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back into conversations.
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As soon as we exchange 3 emails on the subject,
00:02:14
it's time to pick up the phone or make a video call.
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People who have been telecommuting lament the deterioration
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of relations with some of their colleagues,
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less communication or exchanges with more tension.
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The manager is responsible for ensuring that all members
00:02:32
of the team communicate regularly and positively with telecommuters.
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According to a Harvard Business Review study,
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you are more distrustful of your colleagues when you work remotely.
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Is this justified?
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It remains to be seen.
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the telecommuter has the impression that his,
00:02:52
her office colleagues
00:02:53
don't care about my priorities,
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don't notify me of changes,
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talk negatively about me behind my back,
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or even bond against me.
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it is the manager's responsibility to ensure that these
00:03:07
impressions do not take hold in the telecommuter's mind
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by regularly inquiring about the quality of
00:03:15
communication and the collaboration within the team.
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keep telecommuters efficient and motivated,
00:03:24
they have access to information
00:03:27
that they don't miss out on anything important that happens in the office.
00:03:31
This is one of their fears,
00:03:33
and that they have regular meetings with the manager.
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We will discuss this further in the remote management training.
00:03:41
let's move on to challenge number 2,
00:03:45
People who have switched to telecommuting
00:03:48
say they miss their relationships with their colleagues.
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Isolation affects individuals and groups.
00:03:55
The collective disintegrates.
00:03:57
Ties become distorted if one does not actively work to nourish
00:04:02
the bond through communication tools and face to face meetings.
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The isolated telecommuter gradually begins to lose the context of his or her job,
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and their colleagues.
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This makes it more difficult to establish
00:04:18
connections and maintain common goals and trust.
00:04:23
At a higher level,
00:04:24
isolation can result in anxiety or even depression.
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The Society for Neuroscience reported in a 2018 study
00:04:34
that when a mouse is isolated from the group,
00:04:37
its neurons begin to atrophy.
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The bottom line is,
00:04:41
isolation leads to a loss of intelligence.
00:04:45
The feeling of isolation varies with personality.
00:04:49
Some more extroverted people will suffer from not seeing their colleagues,
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especially if they have little social interaction outside the office.
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Others will not suffer
00:05:01
either because they enjoy more social interaction in their
00:05:04
private life or because they are more introverted.
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It is the telecommuter's responsibility
00:05:11
to know their needs with regard to professional interactions,
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to communicate these needs to their manager and colleagues,
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to consciously nurture their own needs.
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Caution must be taken
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to avoid asking the manager to become a social worker,
00:05:28
to compensate for a person's lack of social interaction.
00:05:32
The manager can be supportive and attentive,
00:05:36
but the fact that a person has not created a
00:05:39
social life outside of work is not the manager's responsibility.
00:05:43
The manager must communicate with the appropriate internal resources if
00:05:48
they notice that a telecommuter is in a fragile state.
00:05:52
The third challenge for telecommuters is difficulty in disconnecting.
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When working from home,
00:05:59
the boundary between professional and personal world becomes less clear.
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Teleworkers work more.
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The question we must ask is why.
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Many say it is because they love what they do and why not.
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The most effective telecommuters are those who love their jobs.
00:06:18
This should be the number one criterion for choosing to telecommute,
00:06:23
loving what you do.
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Others on the other hand,
00:06:26
guilt tripped themselves into hyperwork,
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guilt of not being at the office,
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guilt of having an easier life.
00:06:34
Some may fear not doing enough or not being up to the task.
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Telecommuters risk finding it normal to convert the time
00:06:43
they would have spent commuting into work hours.
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Telecommuters need to learn on their own as adults to get
00:06:51
out of this need to always be connected and work more.
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A manager who is open to dialogue and balance can help
00:06:59
them to regulate their workload and allow them to disconnect.
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Dare to sign off on their email,
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not answer messages outside working hours,
00:07:08
and shut down their computer at appropriate times.
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Remote working allows for flexibility.
00:07:16
Some telecommuters may prefer to work later in the
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evening after their kids have gone to bed.
00:07:23
They may send emails at a late hour.
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I am not in support of forcing people to
00:07:29
send emails only within a restricted time slot.
00:07:33
On the other hand,
00:07:34
it is the recipient's choice not to open them outside of work hours.
00:07:39
It is up to the recipient to educate his or herself.
00:07:43
This will be easier if they are supported by their superiors with
00:07:46
clear communications on the reasonable workload and the right to disconnect.
00:07:53
The 4th challenge for teleworkers has to deal with the temptation to be distracted.
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I'm distracted at home,
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I procrastinate,
00:08:02
For those people who have more difficulty concentrating and self-discipline,
00:08:07
I recommend working in co-working spaces
00:08:11
away from the distractions of home.
00:08:13
The video on telework and working time provides insights
00:08:17
on how to organise a productive telecommuting day.
00:08:22
a final challenge to address is reconciling teleworking and career.
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it has been very difficult for both part-time
00:08:31
and full-time telecommuters to obtain professional advancement.
00:08:37
Hopefully this period of confinement has broadened minds on this point.
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Telecommuters say,
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I'm afraid I'm going to be overlooked for career advancement.
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If distance workers wish to progress,
00:08:50
it is essential that they be very active communicators in
00:08:54
order to maintain a link with colleagues and managers.
00:08:58
They need to be constantly on the lookout for office news and projects and vision.
00:09:04
They must make themselves virtually visible,
00:09:07
as well as going to see each other when they visit the office.
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they must communicate their desire for growth and
00:09:16
change to the hierarchy and human resources.
00:09:20
Managers sometimes tend to view their
00:09:22
full-time commuting employees as freelancers or consultants
00:09:26
and forget to address their development and career plans.
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How to continue to develop them to make them grow and broaden their portfolios.
00:09:36
Virtual mentoring can help.
00:09:39
A Deloitte study has proven that mentoring,
00:09:42
ideally with someone other than your boss,
00:09:45
doubles the chances of your young millennial recruit
00:09:48
staying more than 5 years in your organisation.
00:09:53
do not forget the career of remote workers.
00:09:58
In the face of all these challenges,
00:10:01
telecommuters need to be more mature and more aware of their choices.
00:10:06
The first step for them is deciding whether they
00:10:09
are suited to telecommuting and in what proportion.
00:10:14
if they have opted to telecommute,
00:10:16
they need to be aware of their weaknesses and make their needs clear
00:10:21
to both their manager and their colleagues.
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