Inga hit my hot button with her recent post "What's in a Name". Depending on whom you ask, the number of U.S. telecommuters ranges from between 2.8 million people (consider home their primary place of work, not including the self-employed) and 44.4 million (includes anyone works at home at least once a year).

The counting problem isn't because no one has bothered to study the work-at-home population. The IRS, Bureau of Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics Small Business Adminsitration, and a number of private researchers all collect data about people who work from home. But they all come at it with their own needs and biases.

The big problem, as Inga points out is that no one agrees on whom to count. Bruce Phillips, a researcher for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) called the task of separating out the real work-at-home numbers as a "statistical Vietnam--the data goes in, but you can't get it out."

The population of people included in various counts range from people who work from home as little as one day a year, to those who do so the majority of the time (Census). Some sources count incorporated and unincorporated small businesses, others don't. Some consider telecommuters to include road warriors whom, while they may be teleworkers, they are not not using technology to replace their commute--the classic definition of telecommuting.  BLS and Census even include unpaid family workers among the work at home population.

None of the studies separate out those employees and business owners who work at home from those who work from home. For example, while a plumber may be home-based, he only earns his living with his head under someone else's sink.

It seems to me the whole thing is a bit like studying meteoroids. We know there are a lot of them, we know there are different kinds, and we know they're important, but we don't know where they all are and not everyone agrees on which ones to count.

Of course I have my biases too. As a telecommuting researcher and author, I'm interested in the people who regularly work both from and at home because they offer the greatest potential to reduce global warming, energy usage, and traffic congestion. They're also the ones who derive the most work-life benefits from telecommuting.

For those counts, I lean toward Census data. They ask employed workers where their principal place of work was during the survey week. Granted, some may have had an unusual week, but the numbers for 2008 show that 5.9 million called home their principal place of work. Of those, 3.1 million were home based businesses. That means that only 2.5 million employees, 1.9% of the working population, worked at home most of the time. That's a long way from the 52 million people who hold telecommuting compatible jobs.

Of course, others, such as equipment and software suppliers, are just as interested in the mobile workforce counts (i.e. road warriors, plumbers, electricians). A reporter from Inc. magazine (they're doing a month-long experiment with telecommuting) asked if I knew the size of the mobile workforce marketplace. I was embarrassed to say I didn't, but as I thought about it, it goes back to the same problem--we're just not capturing the data.

Over two dozen local, state and federal programs aimed at promoting telecommuting have been proposed or adopted in the past year. Federal funds are already flowing to the cause. Without proper statistics on the growth of the trend, the return on investment for these programs will be impossible to determine. I've actually submitted several proposals aimed at doing the research necessary to get a handle on the existing telecommuting population and coming up with a way to standardize the counts going forward. Everyone I've talked to seems interested, but so far no one's been willing to put up the dough. Stay tuned on that.

Where do you get your stats on telecommuting?  Have any good sources?  Let's share them around and see if we can solve this, finally.

Photo Credit: RaeA

Since I know that many of you access this blog via RSS or email, you may not know that we have recently uploaded tons of new whitepapers and eBooks to our Downloads section.  To give you a little taste of what you can find over there, we have recently added:

• Leading Virtual Effectiveness: Four Strategies for Effective Communication in a Distributed Workforce
• It's Time to Review - And Renew - Your Telecommuting Policy
• The Top Ten Strategies for Managers of Mobile Workers
• Five Tips for Better Virtual Meetings
• 9 Management Practices for Exceptional Webinars
• Getting the Most from Your Marketing Events: The ROI of In-Person Seminars, Trade Shows and Webinars
• Emerge! How to Avoid the Seven Sins of Live, Online Presentations
• Beyond the Basics: How to Optimize Online Training for Maximum Impact
• How to Promote the Value of Online Training within Your Organization
• Five Keys to Getting Started with Interactive Online Training

Over the next couple weeks we will be making the Downloads section easier to navigate and more organized so that you're able to find the information you're after a little faster.

If there are whitepapers or eBooks you would like to see the Workshifting team focus on, please let us know in the comments below.

As always, thank you for continuing to make our little community around here so much fun to be a part of.

Photo Credit: ConanTheLibrarian

Today we have a guest post from Gene Marks.  Gene, an idiot, is also an author of four best selling small business management books and a frequent online columnist for Forbes.com, Businessweek.com and American City Business Journals.  Gene owns The Marks Group PC, a ten-person CRM and Financial consulting firm located in Bala Cynwyd, PA.

I am a remote worker.  And I am an idiot. 


I'm also the owner of a small business and everyone in my company also works remotely.  We used to have an office.  We now have a virtual private network supported by a local IT firm.  



And now Windows 7 is released.  Now that really sucks for my IT firm.

My ten person company is no different than many other small businesses around the world.  Most of the businesses my size are still in Windows XP Land. That's because they were smart enough to stay away from Windows Vista and all of its shortcoming.  I recently read Windows Vista has been adopted by only 8.8% of potential users.  At the same stage in its lifecycle Windows XP had been adopted by 87.1% of potential users.  



The bad news is that I've been told that my company is going to have to migrate to Windows 7 in the next year or two.  Citrix Online recently conducted a poll of 200 IT professionals in the SMB world and found that 42% of them expect Windows 7 will have "more than a small impact" on their operations next year.  And at the same time, only 13% of these guys plan on hiring extra staff to help migrate their clients to the new platform. 



I've got everything PERFECTLY organized on the computer I've been using for the past five years.  Upgrading me will not be fun.    



Thank God for GoToAssist.  Whether I decide to upgrade my existing computer (unlikely) or get a new computer (probably, but it still kills me to do so), my IT guys will be using GoToAssist to take control of my system.  This way I can turn my computer on while they connect and do what they have to do to configure my system. 



And thank God for GoToMeeting.  Because even before I let my IT guys touch my beloved, perfectly configured and trusted Windows XP workstation, I'm going to need to have an infinite number of conversations with them. With GoToMeeting, my IT guys can show me what I'll be expecting to see on my screen and how they're going to get me there. 



The research firm Forrester says that there are about 34 million "teleworkers".  They say that by 2012 enterprise mobile workers will make up 73 percent of the workforce.  My IT firm, and many IT firms like them, will have their hands full supporting idiots like me when we all have to upgrade to Windows 7.  They're going to need all the remote tools they can get their hands on.  



By the way I forgot about one other remote connection tool.  That's GoToMyPC.  I'll be using it to connect to my old Windows XP box which I fully intend to keep up and running.  Just in case Windows 7 hiccups.  Hey, maybe I'm not such an idiot after all!

If you want to read more detail about Windows 7 migration, online tools and why I'm an idiot, check out the extended version of this post, er, a whitepaper (or so I'm told): Windows 7 Migration and Online Tools.

If you're sick of reading, check out the webinar I recently was a part of: Windows 7 Nirvana Roundtable.

Photo Credit: techedlive

A few years ago this discussion wouldn't be happening. It is (or was) the American Dream to buy a home and pay a boat load for it during the prime years of your life. The years when you are starting a family, have a secure job and could afford the nicely wrapped payments mixed between the two weeks of vacation you were given from your employer. Over the past two years the mindsets of many people (including myself) have changed.

For some, time has become more important than income and material things. Experiences, people and memories serve as souvenirs from a life well lived. No longer were we subject to the white picket fence that meant we had to settle down in one place for as long as possible.

In the workshifting, lifestyle design and internet business world, we are coming to a piece of mind that renting may actually be a better option to this lifestyle. Renting allows us the freedom to move from place to place, traveling the country or the world and putting our saved monies into other investments, or even in experiencing more things. A recent article from Housing Watch notes that "a mere 55% of adults say buying a home is the best investment families can make."

Personally, I still believe in the power of real estate investments. But my mindset in working from home, the beach or the park tells me that 6-12 month rentals are not only freeing mentally, but they can save you a ton of money in the short term to enjoy your time. I am not pretending to be an expert in real estate (I read everything I can get my hands on, but still get confused), but I can see that investing in a home that is depreciating faster than the interest is rising is not a good financial plan for my own future. Much like many of us have made the decision to work location independent, whether for a company or out on our own - we did it to better our situations in life.

A recent article from the LA Times echoes that fact for people in upside down mortgages as proposed by Professor Brent T. White:

Go ahead. Break the chains. Stop paying on your mortgage if you owe more than the house is worth. And most important: Don't feel guilty about it. Don't think you're doing something morally wrong.

Renting may be the answer, but maybe its not. In my own life, I am torn between these 2 worlds. There are benefits and advantages to both. What I want to do is turn the conversation over to the community and see what you think of the situation.  What do you think about the following questions:

• Are you renting or do you own a home?
• Have you thought of foreclosing, a short sale, etc?
• How do you manage your travel and work schedule with your living situation?

Let's learn from each other in this community. To buy or not to buy, that is only part of the question!

Photo Credit: Azhure

Now that we're just about 5% of the way through 2010, you may be at that point where some of those New Year's resolutions you made just a few weeks ago are already starting to slip.  There is still time to recover and keep to those resolutions.  But, make sure we don't make the following mistakes or else you'll certainly derail yourself:

Ten surefire ways to fail your New Year's Resolutions!

1. Make huge, unrealistic and unsustainable resolutions like "Lose 6KGs in the next 4 weeks", "join gym and go every day" or "Go to bed at 9.30pm every night without fail"
   
   
2. Make sure you set the sort of resolutions that you think you should achieve, not those that really "pull" you towards them.  New Year's Resolutions have nothing to do with who you are and who you want to become.
   
   
3. Ensure that you make at least 5 New Year's Resolutions, preferably addressing every area of your life. That'll keep you busy for this first week of January!
   
   
4. Make New Year's resolutions into your one and only chance to change your life this year.   Keep telling yourself that if you fail now, you may as well give up and accept that you'll never make those positive changes.
   
   
5. Test your resolution at every opportunity. So for example, if you've resolved to give up smoking, hang around all your nicotine pals at every opportunity.  If you've resolved to be a calm parent when your children test you, make sure you are exhausted most of the time and that you haven't met your own needs first.
   
   
6. Remember that you must do it alone.  It's not up to any of your friends or family to support you in achieving your New Year's Resolutions.
   
   
7. If you've managed to keep your New Year's Resolution through to the end of January, don't give yourself a pat on the back. You have to keep on your toes, dammit!  Just because you've managed a month that doesn't mean you should reward yourself or acknowledge your so-called achievement in any way.
    
8. Ensure that  your New Year's Resolutions fill you with horror/dread/a sinking feeling every time you think about them (all ten of them). Nothing worth achieving was ever easy, was it? No pain no gain!
   
   
9. Compare yourself frequently with other people who appear to have achieved what you are trying to achieve with your resolutions.  Remember that whatever you achieve, there will always be someone who has achieved it faster and better than you.
   
   
10. Don't prepare for your resolutions at all.
    

Of course, I don't need to tell you that, in order to achieve your resolutions, the opposite of the above ten points apply!  However, let's get the positivity flowing for 2010, shall we.  Here are the ten tips that will increase your chances of success with your resolutions:

Ten Ways to increase your chances of succeeding in your New Year's Resolutions

1. Make small, achievable resolutions.  Instead of "Never lose my temper with my children again", try a resolution that addresses when and/or why you lose your temper.  It might be because you are tired, you are in a rush, and you've got too much on.  Which resolution might you choose that addresses one of the underlying causes of you losing your temper?  
Or try a more general resolution.  Try on "Be nice to me and my kids by ensuring I get my 8 hours sleep most nights".
   
   
2. Set resolutions that are a reflection of you and your values, not resolutions that reflect someone else's values.
   
   
3. This year, just try one or two resolutions.  Once you've achieved one (maybe you could set a realistic date), then try another.  Think quality resolutions rather than quantity.
   
   
4. You're bound to have days when you do less well in keeping your resolution than you'd hoped.  Don't define such days as failure. Instead use them to reflect and learn in order to do better tomorrow.
   
   
5. Just because you don't achieve 100%, it doesn't mean you've failed the test.  Treat your new year's resolutions in a similar way. Give yourself the best chances of success by keeping temptation out of reach. If this is impossible, then make a choice as to whether a tempting situation is going to mean that your resolution is not going to be kept on that particular occasion.  If you anticipate this and give yourself permission to "slip up", then you're more likely to keep with the resolution afterwards.
    
6. You're more likely to achieve your resolution if you get support from those who want you to succeed.  Note the careful wording there - choose your support team carefully and avoid the naysayers and false friends!
   
   
7. Build in celebratory milestones and acknowledge yourself for what you've achieved at each of those milestones.  I believe that people nowadays are starved of acknowledgement, and it's important that you learn to acknowledge yourself in all areas of your life, not just for your resolutions!
   
   
8. Choose resolutions that fill you with joy, peace or pleasure at the thought of achieving them.  Put each resolution through the joy/pleasure/peace filter. If they don't meet one, bin them!
   
   
9. Remember that comparison is the killer of creativity. This is your resolution - nobody else's!
   
   
10. Prepare!  The following questions WILL of course help you to prepare effectively for keeping your resolutions:
• "How can I give myself best chances of success?"
• "What must I do more of/start doing in order to keep this resolution?"
• "What must I do less of/start doing in order to keep this resolution?"
• "Will this bring me nearer to achieving this resolution or further away?"
  

Happy New Resolutions!

Photo Credit: beX out loud

Does workshifting spell the demise of society as we know it? Are virtual companies an invitation to sweatshops and child labor violations? Will the rise in outsourcing, freelancing, and cloud labor lead to dirty bombs and political repression? Will the pay-per-click mentality become the basis for all human interaction?

No, I haven't been drinking the Kool Aid--but based on an article in Newsweek last week, I think someone there has. In an article titled Work in the New Digital Sweatshops, the author, Johanthan Zittrain (a Harvard University law professor), all but accuses Elance and LiveOps (a 16,000 person all-virtual call center) of using the workshifting model to exploit workers:

"...online contracting circumvents a range of labor laws and practices, found in most developed countries, that govern worker protections, minimum wage, health and retirement benefits, child labor, and so forth."

He asserts that Amazon's Mechanical Turk project could lead to all manner of evil:

"People can also be enlisted to do work without any idea for whom they're working or why. You might synthesize a new chemical that winds up being used as a poison or in a bomb. Iran's leaders could ask Turkers to cross-reference the faces of the nation's 72 million citizens with those of photographed demonstrators. Based on Mechanical Turk's current rates, Repression 2.0 would cost a mere $17,000 per protester."

And he conjectures that the growth of the web will mean the demise of honest human relationships:

"If labor can be summoned and directed from afar, fewer and fewer interactions will remain untainted by those seeking to influence their outcomes. I see a park of the future, its visitors staring into small screens, clicking or talking away. One puts the finishing touches on a $10,000 challenge answer. Another casually asks three friends to see a movie with him that evening, not because he wants to, but because he'll earn a $10 commission. A third is picking up a penny for counting how many others are there, not sure why or to whom it matters. We might miss the days when we went to the park just to have fun."

I suppose the man's entitled to his opinion. Who knows, maybe the chicken-little slant was the product of the editorial process. But if Newsweek is going to drag the names of innovative companies like LiveOps, Amazon, CrowdFlower, Elance, and InnoCentive through the mud, they ought to offer a bit more than just made-up scenarios. Through my workshifting research, I've come to know two of the accused quite well and the article's accusations couldn't be farther from the truth.

If employment conditions are so oppressive, why is LiveOps inundated with job applicants--hiring only one in a hundred of those who apply? Why do over 100,000 freelancers use Elance? Because virtual jobs allow people to work when and how much they want. In fact, two-thirds of Americans say they want to work from home and over a third would happily take a pay cut to do so.

Far from the doomsday prognostications offered by the article, virtual employment offers a relatively simple, inexpensive solution to some of the world's most vexing problems. It reduces greenhouse gases and fuel usage. It improves work-life balance. It saves companies and individuals money. It helps address the special needs of disabled workers, rural residents, retirees, and military families. It reduces traffic and the strain on our transportation infrastructure. And it helps ensure continuity of operations in the event of a disaster or pandemic.

Is life different because of workshifting? Of course it is, but I think it's a change for the better. How about you? What has workshifting done for your relationships? opportunities? working conditions?

Photo by: adinarvaez

Today we have a guest post from Bevis England.  Bevis is the director of Telework New Zealand and facilitator for the Telework Australia initiative.  Bevis is also a member of Citrix Online's Worldwide Workplace Council. Since 1989 he has been assisting organisations assess and access the benefits of telework.

Fellow workshifters. We are the vanguard of the revolution.

And what is this revolution? Well, perhaps it's more of an evolution but when we look around we can see a battle going on, a battle between change and inertia.

Recently, the people of Samoa, Padang in Sumatra, and Bolivia have been affected by major earthquakes or tsunami. Australia is on the cusp of its bushfire season, with temperatures set to reach dangerous levels of 47 degrees Celsius in three states. The nation only just recovered from its Black Saturday fires - the worst bushfires in Australia's history.

We're only just beginning to recover from the impact of the debt crunch and the subsequent economic recession, terrorism is an ever-present threat, and I sense that another oil price shock is not far away.

My point is that we are faced with major change. We always have been but it seems to be becoming more severe, both in the number of events and in the impact they have. In the words of Robert Holden, we live in a white water world: a world dominated by change. But we workshifters are very well placed to cope with this.

Some change is unpredictable. It can be sudden and catastrophic, such as a natural disaster, power cuts, extreme financial market movements or terrorist attack, or it can be gradual and still have a profound impact, such as peak oil scenarios, climate change, spreading pandemics, or the impacts of recession.  Other change is predictable - weather trends, demographic shifts, or changes in government or legislation. But all such change is beyond our ability to control it. If we were a natural ecosystem we could only react, adapt and, if there's time, survive beyond the change by evolving. But we are not a natural ecosystem. We have the ability to dream and set objectives. And we have the ability to prepare.

Preparing for and responding to change has become critical for individuals, businesses, and communities. And this is the battle that I'd like to think that workshifting can overcome.

Workshifters are probably the best placed to lead the way, for a number of reasons:

• Workshifters recognise that action is needed now and that when change it happens it's already too late. Denial is not an option. We always have contingency plans and have prepared for change.
  
  
• Workshifters have also recognised that not all change is negative and that not all risk is a challenge. The move away from the static office (whether we were pushed out or not) might have been a major change but we've learnt to make the most of the positive advantages of the new ways of working.
  
  
• Workshifters are learning to do more with less: less money, less travel, fewer resources, and fewer 'qualified' staff on hand to help out. This is a vital skill when coping with and making the most out of change.
  
  
• We've learnt to be flexible and we have recognised that simplicity is a virtue. Some of us have even recognised that flexibility and simplicity together are much more important than mere efficiency. Just doing things faster is not as important as achieving the same ends flexibly and simply. (After all, efficiency is normally measured in incremental steps. Completing the task is more important, however we choose to do this.)
  
  
• We've recognised that we need to reduce our inertia if we are to react quickly. It's hard to run for a plane if you're carrying too much. And it's hard to change course quickly if you're burdened with outmoded ideas.
  
  
• Many workshifters have also recognised that, paraphrasing Einstein, we can't solve our problems with the thinking that created them. New ideas will be essential. New ways of working will be vital.
  
  
• Most importantly, we've recognised that we need to know our 'community' if we are to survive in a changing environment. Whether this is the location of the next coffee shop, the movements of our friends and colleagues, or the depth of our communication, our business and personal communities are important to us.
  

All of these lessons have been learnt by many, if not all, workshifters. That's what makes us the vanguard of the revolution. In the battle between change and inertia, we are well-equipped to survive.

At least, we should be...

Photo by: walkadog

We have advertised on political talk shows, and with that comes some degree of risk associated with the content.  On occasion, a radio host will make outrageous or inflammatory comments that incite a political group.  Typically the "group" uses the outrageous comments to promote their agenda, and so the mud slinging begins.

Like many companies today, we use social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook to listen and engage with customers and the broader community.  Several months back something new happened, our web conferencing product became part of a trending topic on Twitter, but not in a positive way.   

We started seeing tweets about our brand with comments such as "boycott", not something you want to wake up to on a Monday.  Because of the sheer volume of noise around the controversy we decided to suspend our media.  Giving us the opportunity to gather our thoughts and determine next steps.

We decided that instead of using traditional PR tactics to address the controversy, we would release a single tweet from our branded Twitter account, and then listen.  The tweet had no links, and it read something to the effect, "...we have suspended our media and we will re-evaluate...".  As expected, the tweet was picked up quickly.  Over the next few weeks, we fielded some tweets from our personal and branded Twitter accounts, and eventually the controversy subsided.  Even though we carefully crafted our first tweet response, all the subsequent tweets weren't scripted.  Therefore, we didn't come across as cold and unsympathetic.  The communication was genuine and honest, and the community responded positively.

I am not suggesting that using a single tweet to manage adversity is always the best solution.  In some cases, public outreach via a press release with relevant links is needed.  However, in this case we felt the best solution was to speak to the community in the same voice and using the same tool from which it originated.  Speaking for myself, the lesson learned pertained to honesty and transparency, and the power of the tools on the social web. 

So what does this have to do with workshifting?  The method we used to resolve the conflict didn't require us to higher a PR firm, a consultant or use an expensive press release distribution tool.  The free tools are available to workshifters of any size.  The tools are not the exclusive domain of large, well funded companies.

So if you're starting a company founded upon workshifting, you have the ability to use the social media tools with the same level of scale and effectiveness as a large company can, and in many cases even better.

Have you used the tools to manage adversity?  I'd love to hear your stories.

Photo by: Matt Hamm

Imagine switching on your HDTV eager to watch a show at 9. There you are, popcorn in hand, only to find a blank screen. Then a voice comes on and says they're waiting for a few more people to tune in, "please stand by." Meanwhile, they offer a static page with the name of the program and a tacky graphic. A few minutes later the voice is back saying they're going to get started, but since folks are still tuning in, they'll wait a few more minutes before diving into the actual program. More static screens pop up, this time asking you to answer a few questions using your remote control. Four questions later, it's quarter past the hour, and you're starting to wonder why you tuned in in the first place.

Does this sound familiar? If you've logged on to any webinars recently, it probably does. In fact, the scenario I described in the last paragraph, sans popcorn, was from a webinar about doing great webinars. Over the next 45 minutes, more slides trickled by; none were in any way engaging. In between slides, the screen went blank. The voice, full of false enthusiasm, chattered on about the need for great content, an engaging personality, etc. To be honest, he sounded more like one of those slick morning radio personalities--the same sing-song style--the same Red Bull-induced zeal. Fortunately, the audio dropped out twice, so that limited the exposure.

To be fair, I'd tuned into this particular webinar because I'd just done one myself and frankly, was embarrassed by the performance. Lot's of technology glitches, awkward hand-offs between speakers, horrible audio, etc. It's not like I hadn't prepared. I probably spent 5 days preparing for it. It's not like we were using some unproven technology, I don't want to name names, but it was one of the big ones. It's not like I'd never done one before, I had. And it's not like I'm an inexperienced speaker, I've done hundreds of lectures and speeches.

"The least they'll accept is the best they've ever seen," my husband used to say in speeches about the future of technology. Largely, that's been true. Once you've played World of Warcraft, you're not going back to Donkey Kong. Once you've watched HD, you're not going to settle for less. So what's with webinars?

While I've seen dozens of inspirational or motivational speeches, I can honestly say I've never attended a webinar that was anything better than ho-hum. Heck, I'd even settle for one that made me feel like it was time well spent.

I've pondered the problem some and while I've come to no real conclusions, here are my thoughts:

• In spite of the big names in the business, the technology side of webinar delivery is clumsy at best. Uploading programs is pretty simple on most platforms, but voice inputs are clunky. Even prior testing doesn't ensure the sound will be good. Some platforms don't even give you the ability to talk to co-presenters "off camera," before the program starts. If you're in the habit of tuning into a webinar early, or staying late, you've no doubt heard speakers who didn't realize or have forgotten this. Oopsie.
  
  
• With all of the unknowns, why aren't more people pre-recording webinars to get them just right, and answering questions live?
  
  
• The voice and methods you use as a speaker, doesn't work on a webinar. Pregnant pauses that create anticipation at live events, are dead air when the audience can't see you. My reaction to the "radio voice" of the speaker I mentioned earlier notwithstanding, I wonder if some radio training would help webinar speakers. After all, engaging the unseen listener is what they do--some more effectively than others.
  
  
• Those of us who are used to public speaking, find it hard to be 'on' without the enthusiasm of a crowd. It's like practicing a speech--very uncomfortable and stilted. How do you replicate the roar of the greasepaint and the smell of the crowd?
  
  
• Knowing your subject is only part of the battle. You also have to understand pacing, know how to engage, understand the technology, and if you're going to use them, know how to design interesting polls. Most importantly, you need to be able to create engaging graphics; ones that complement what you have to say without confusing or boring the audience.
  
  
• Most people, myself included, multi-task while listening to a webinar. Imagine giving a speech where the whole audience is surfing the web on their laptops or talking on their phones. I think part of the reason for this is that the webinars aren't engaging enough, but it may just be a function of a multitasking culture. Recognizing this, how do you deliver content that's easy to follow while they're doing other things?
  
  
• Part of the problem is obviously bandwidth. Once that increases, we'll no doubt see better production, but that's going to place an even greater emphasis on the artistic side of things. How will mere mortals cope?
  

Is it just me? Are there any ideas out there for how to give great webinars? Dare I ask, has anyone seen a really good one?

Photo by: Zelda Go Wild

Today Andrew Millard stops by from across the pond to help launch a new whitepaper concerning smarter commuting as part of the UK's third annual National Commute Smart week.  Andrew is the eCommerce Director of EMEA at Citrix Online.

The daily commute.  It's a thought that can send a chill down the spine of even the cheeriest soul.  Battling congested roads in rush hour, waiting on station platforms for delayed trains and squeezing onto packed buses.

If that's not bad enough, the evenings are starting to get colder and certainly darker, with the clocks going back recently, making the daily commute that bit harder.  

This week the UK's third annual National Commute Smart Week is taking place, with the aim of encouraging workers to reduce or even eliminate their daily commute to improve health, wellbeing and productivity.  

It's an initiative that peaked my interest and I was keen to find out more about the feasibility of introducing smarter, and more flexible, working approaches. So to coincide with Commute Smart Week, we commissioned some consumer research to uncover the real picture of commuting in the UK and pose the question: is there a 'smarter' way to commute?

How do UK workers commute?

The survey found that collectively, British workers spend around 26 million hours every single day commuting. While that works out to be an average of 49 minutes per person, there are one in ten of us who are travelling for a minimum of two hours every day.  

It can be a painful experience and when asked about the biggest frustrations with commuting, being stuck in traffic topped the list, with travelling in the darker winter months and the expense of commuting close behind. One in five Brits were annoyed about wasting time which could be spent more productively.

Given those results, it was no surprise to find that around two-thirds of us Brits want to reduce the time we spend commuting.

So what's the alternative?

It was clear from the research that British workers are frustrated by many aspects of their commute and that there is a real desire to improve or reduce their journeys. The people we surveyed were clear about the benefits of smarter commuting, particularly in achieving a greater work-life balance by reducing the amount of time wasted 'in limbo', neither at work or at home.

Many respondents identified ways smarter commuting could work in practice, such as working flexible hours so they could travel outside of peak hours, and working from home to avoid the commute altogether. Technology was seen as the great enabler, providing the tools to allow workers to connect with their workplace, colleagues and clients and carry out their job from any location.

Is it feasible?

Now I'm not suggesting that every business should rush to adopt smarter working practices just because workers are a bit frustrated with their commute. It's highly likely that businesses are placing even more value on a visible, highly productive and engaged workforce in our competitive and challenging economy.

But taking a more flexible approach, and utilising the widely available and low-cost internet tools that can enable this, could provide the key to businesses acquiring and retaining the best talent, improving staff morale and loyalty, and as a result, maximise productivity of their workforce.

By working together, employers and employees can gain a better understanding of each others' needs, assess the right approaches and test a range of options, which will help to transform the British workplace into a highly productive environment, while serving the work-life balance needs of employees.

You can download a whitepaper, revealing the full results of the Commute Smart research.

Photo by: raindog