Growing trend of remote computing presents sets of psychological problems

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Through the use of modems, laptop computers and other high technology, it is possible for workers to perform most of their tasks electronically without having a traditional office.

This includes communicating with coworkers via e-mail, fax or video conferencing, and even sharing files with their colleagues so members of a work team can coordinate their efforts and share thoughts together.

There are now Internet products that enable people in remote environments to meet and communicate as a group in cyberspace.

Remote computing is very suitable for workers in Jakarta where traffic problems can mean they need to spend one hour to two hours a day to reach their office. Especially during the rainy season (when floods often occur and hamper transportation), remote computing becomes more compelling. In short, remote computing will eliminate commuting to the office since many people will be able to work from home.

The other benefit is that remote computing or telecommuting will enable a company to significantly reduce its costs as the requirement for office space and for other office facilities will diminish.

However, despite the advantages, the rising trend toward the virtual office and the remote computing environment can be very problematic.

"As a result, long-term planning for human resources issues must address several areas over the short-term to be able to deal effectively with this inevitable trend," president of the United States-based consulting company, Groups Plus Wilton Conn Thomas L. Greenbaum writes in his article on potential disasters from the virtual office for quality employee output.

There are four areas that where care is needed, to Greenbaum advises in his article posted at his company's website www.groupsplus.com. They include;

* The need for socializing. Employers must provide some form of socializing for the work force operating in a remote environment. While there clearly are some people who are very comfortable working alone in a remote office or at home, most human being are gregarious animals who need some type of companionship to maintain their morale and motivation.

* Motivation for productivity: Employers must also devise approaches to motivate employees in a remote environment to be at least as productive as they would be in a traditional office.

* Distractions: In a remote office or even worse, in a home environment, the structure of the main location is not in place and it is very easy for the worker to be distracted by external factors.

* Communication: Efficient ways to share ideas on a timely basis among employees or between the employee and the supervisor are needed so that the quality of the work output is consistent with the needs of the organization. According to Greenbaum, a whole new approach is needed for managing employees in a virtual environment, in order to leverage the benefits associated with remote computing without having them erase the potential negative aspects.

With this in mind, he suggests several actions that need to be considered by human resource professionals over the short term to deal with this situation. They include;

* Test employees first: Companies should develop psychological testing programs aimed at determining the profile or the type of person who can work effectively in a remote environment. This would enable them to screen out the people who would not be successful under such an arrangement, keeping them in the main office where they could continue to produce in their position.

* Transition them over time: Organizations should adopt procedures whereby employees who will be working in a remote environment are transitioned into this type of work situation over an extended period of time. They might begin with one day per week for the first month, then add a day every other month so that it would take 6 months to 8 months to get them into a fully- autonomous remote environment.

* Allow some of both: By providing a new type of office arrangement in which people could work part-time in a remote environment, companies would allow them to have the best of both worlds. This would probably eliminate the concept of the personal office (or work space), with employees being assigned an office on those days they would be at the main facility.

* Train managers: Develop policies and procedures to enable supervisors to effectively manage workers in a remote environment. These would address issues such as training and development, motivation, monitoring and managing productivity and maintaining high levels of morale in the remote work force.