Is RI ready for teleworking?<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Western countries, such as the United States and
\nmost of western Europe, are now shifting to a new concept of the
\nflextime work schedule: telecommuting, or teleworking, a word
\ncoined by management consultant Dr. David Chaudron. Flextime is
\nshort for flexible work hours. This concept of flextime allows
\nemployees some discretion over when they arrive and leave work.
\nThey have to work a specific number of hours a week, but they are
\nfree to vary the hours of work within certain limits.<\/p>\n
Teleworking is a recent development of flextime. This concept
\nallows workers not only to work according to their own schedule,
\nbut also to work in any place they favor, as long as the job is
\ndone and the agreement with the employer is carried out properly,
\nparticularly with regard to the modes of communication and
\nmethods of presentation of the results. Facsimile, telephone,
\ne-mail, video conferencing and interaction via the Internet are
\nthe most popular modes of communication and methods of
\npresentation.<\/p>\n
Currently, in the United States, there are six million people
\nworking at home or any other place they favor. The annual growth
\nrate of teleworking is 15 percent to 20 percent, with some
\nexperts venturing a guesstimate as high as 40 percent. It is
\npredicted that the number of teleworkers will increase to 25
\nmillion by the year 2000.<\/p>\n
This working arrangement offers many advantages to employees
\nand employers alike. However, it must be understood that
\nteleworking is not without risks. An employer who is considering
\nto \"go telework\" must be able to identify the \"three Rs\" of
\nteleworking, as suggested by John Curran, a business system
\nanalyst at the management consulting firm of Saltzer, Sutton, and
\nEdicott. The three Rs are: the right reasons, the right job, and
\nthe right people.<\/p>\n
The right reasons: If a company, as implemented in U.S, would
\nlike to achieve at least one of the following -- increased
\nproductivity, reduced expenses for office space, increased
\ncustomer contact by the sales force and increased use of highly
\nqualified people who are not available or affordable on a full-
\ntime basis -- then, it has the right reason(s) to introduce
\nteleworking.<\/p>\n
The right job: Not any job can be assigned to teleworkers. In
\ngeneral, work that is of individual nature rather than teamwork
\n-- such as writing, editing, reporting, sales, telemarketing,
\nauditing, etc. -- is best suited for a teleworker.<\/p>\n
The right people. The right person on the right job also
\napplies to telejobs. The selection process of teleworker
\ncandidates should be executed carefully in order to achieve the
\nexpected results. Only individuals with a high sense of self-
\ndiscipline and self-motivation can become successful teleworkers.<\/p>\n
The concept of teleworking itself is outstanding for it
\nprovides employees with an opportunity to interact their jobs
\nwith their daily lives, something that is impossible to do in \"in
\nresidence\" jobs. For female employees for instance the most
\nnotable advantage they can enjoy is the flexibility to take care
\nof the household while working in absentee, something which is
\nimpossible with on the premises office jobs. With their
\nteleworking, they might also have more time to be with their
\nfavorite things and to take a rest to restore energy, which are
\nessential to enhance their working morale and spirit, instead of
\nspending hours in heavy traffic jams and having problems taking a
\nrest during office hours due to company regulations.<\/p>\n
Dressing according to company dress codes, having difficulties
\nin concentrating due to interruptions from colleagues and being
\nobliged to look busy all the time are small overlooked
\nunfavorable incidents an employee encounters everyday which might
\ncause unproductive working time and low esteem, which are often
\nunderestimated. In telejobs, these small overlooked incidents do
\nnot exist. Instead, an employee has healthier, happier and higher
\nesteem in life to successfully complete the tasks assigned.<\/p>\n
From an employer's point of view, teleworking also gives an
\nopportunity to change for betterment. Sky-rocketing corporate
\nreal estate costs and high operating expenses are just two of an
\nemployer's major issues to confront. With teleworking
\narrangement, these issues are greatly reduced or even eliminated.<\/p>\n
Moreover, when a company is considering introducing
\nteleworking, then it is the appropriate time to move on to two
\nmajor changes in management style: from watching activities of
\nemployees to trusting employees to work on their own (dependent
\nmanagement to independent management) and from managing
\nattendance to managing performance.<\/p>\n
Is it possible for Indonesian companies to introduce
\nteleworking? To implement the concept of teleworking in
\nIndonesia, we have to analyze the working habits of both
\nemployees and employers and the technology available.<\/p>\n
In this era of globalization, transfer of the latest
\ntechnologies available is not so simple. We are overwhelmed with
\ninformation. Information is everywhere. Even when we take a sip
\nof coffee in a cafe in Singapore that offers \"a cup of coffee and
\na cup of Net\", the whole world is within our reach in seconds.
\nMagazines, newspaper, television teletexts, radios, periodicals,
\nbooks, CD-ROMs are within reach and getting more and more
\naffordable lately. All we have to do is analyze them and decide
\nwhich technology is the most appropriate, based on what we grasp.<\/p>\n
Consequently from the available technology point of view,
\nIndonesia is ready to introduce teleworking. Facsimiles,
\ncomputers, teleconferencing and other high technology
\ntelecommunication media are within our reach. However, an
\nimportant thing we have to identify is Indonesian working habits
\nthat might not be supportive to teleworking, for instance our
\nbeing communal instead of individual, lack of self-discipline,
\nworking under tight supervision, paternalism, etc.<\/p>\n
Being optimistic, the pioneers of teleworking in Indonesia
\nwill probably be newspapers with their reporters. Of course, in
\nthe media business, proper timing and meeting deadlines are of
\nparamount importance. Therefore, maximum utilization of high-tech
\nequipment and independence are preferable and most appropriate.<\/p>\n
Last, apart from working between regions, the five following
\npoints may make the future of teleworking clearer:<\/p>\n
1. Productivity: Will non-job-related distractions at home (or
\nany place as agreed with the employer) reduce productivity?<\/p>\n
2. Office politics: Will teleworkers be at a disadvantage in
\noffice politics?<\/p>\n
3. Discrimination: Will teleworkers and non-teleworkers feel
\nthey are being discriminated against, one against the other?<\/p>\n
4. Socialization: Will teleworkers find it a case of out of
\nsight, out of mind by their non-teleworker colleagues?<\/p>\n
5. Career improvement: Will teleworkers be less likely to be
\nconsidered for salary increases and promotion?<\/p>\n
Teleworking is, indeed, a very innovative working arrangement,
\nfor it is very flexible and provides employees with an
\nopportunity to enjoy a higher quality life. Of equal importance,
\nit also provides employers with lower operating expenses and an
\nopportunity to execute a new management style that is result-
\noriented instead of activities-oriented.<\/p>\n
As it is easier said than done, a company must do thorough
\nresearch and conduct feasibility studies on every aspect of
\nteleworking before making any decision to introduce it. The three
\nRs, working habits and five other points may serve as a guideline
\non the making of a decision to introduce teleworking.<\/p>\n
Jennie Siat, an alumnus of University of Indonesia, is an
\nobserver of social education affairs.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/is-ri-ready-for-teleworking-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}