The growth of mobile technology is simply staggering. According to mobiThinking, there are 5.3 billion mobile subscribers (that translates to 77% of the world's population.) By 2014, it's expected that mobile will overtake the PC as the most popular way to access the web. People are using mobile technologies for commerce, entertainment, and productivity.

No surprise, this trend has a definite impact on business and the workplace. The International Data Corporation (IDC) has estimated that the mobile workforce will exceed 1 billion people in 2011. The reasons that businesses are moving in this direction vary - everything from cost savings and reducing the carbon footprint to attracting and retaining the top talent necessary to remain competitive.

As business talks more about mobile strategy, the conversation will not be exclusively about the hardware. In order to effectively leverage mobile technology, it's equally important to use it effectively. I recently finished reading the book "Managing the Mobile Workforce: Leading, Building, and Sustaining Virtual Teams" co-authored by Michael Kroth, associate professor of organizational learning and leadership at the University of Idaho with David Clemons, founder of Achieve Labs Inc., an educational solution connecting learning and mobile technology. The book outlines the case for developing a mobile workplace strategy and the key components for successful implementation using best practices from companies such as LEGO, Citrix and Hewlett-Packard.

As part of our ongoing focus on mobile and collaboration, Michael graciously shared with me his thoughts on the new mobile workplace.

First things first, tell me what prompted you and David to write the book?

"My friend David Clemons and I were mountain biking one day and as we enjoyed a post-ride cup of coffee and a bagel our conversation turned to the mobile workforce. His business, LearnCast, provides great easy-to-use online tools that support and enable organizations that want to go mobile. (At the time he was just getting started, today he has global clients who are rocking the world of mobile work.) My writings and interest had always been about what it takes to create healthy highly motivating work environments. We decided that day that we could learn a lot from each other and from the process of writing a book that combined the two interests. We both felt that the timing was right for this amazing movement to mobile work so decided to go for it. It's been a fabulous experience for us as friends and it's been very rewarding to contribute this incredible move to mobility that is happening worldwide."

If I'm a company considering telework, what's my big takeaway from reading the book?

"The principles of managing mobile workers are the same as for managing co-located workers - but the practices, emphases, and effort can differ. Part of the challenge of working with people who aren't right there is to realize that distance is more than geographic - it is also cultural, emotional, and social. We talk a lot about "presence" - the sense that you are there even when you aren't - as well as trust, autonomy, and motivation."

What do you feel mobile technology can bring to collaboration efforts?

"The better the technology the fewer barriers to communication; the more opportunities for sharing than there ever would be if limited to who you could get into a room or information you could find in a physical library; and the more colorful and complex the kaleidoscope of perspectives from which the group can draw."

What would readers learn about mobile collaboration from your book?

"We have a chapter about developing virtual teams where we share a different configuration of the forming, storming, norming, and performing model most folks are familiar with, and which might make more sense for virtual team development. We start the chapter by comparing virtual teambuilding to what occurs with millions of people playing online games like World of Warcraft every night. Then we share the experiences of mobile managers and thought leaders we interviewed from such places as LEGO and Hewlett-Packard. And lots more!"

Many thanks to Michael for sharing this thoughts and expertise. I really can't say enough good stuff about his book. Go check it out at Managing the Mobile Workforce.com. And you can follow Michael on Twitter.

Four months ago, my mother became the third member in my immediate family to become a Workshifter. As a consultant in the localization industry, she works with organizations outside the US, most of the time working out of her home office in Iowa.

As a new Workshifter, I thought it would be interesting to talk to her about her experiences so far.

Interview with a Workshifting Newbie

What have been the most challenging aspects of Workshifting for you?

One of the hardest things for me has been adjusting to the fact that I can't see people when I communicate with them. It's hard getting used to the lack of visual cues when you're talking. You have to rely completely on words - no facial gestures or body language. Since I work with many people who are not native English speakers, this is even more challenging. Online meeting tools have really helped me address this challenge.

The other thing that I've found challenging is that it can be hard to generate a sense of urgency - in terms of pace of work and priorities - when you're in the peace and quiet of your own home. At times it can be difficult to accommodate what might seem to be arbitrary deadlines when you're not surrounded by seething activity in an office.

What do you think people should know before they transition into the Workshifting world?

I think it's very important for new Workshifters to have a good grasp of their technology and networking tools. And if they don't have that understanding themselves, it's critical to have a reliable support team you can rely on. Things can turn ugly quickly if you cannot access networks or lose connectivity. Also, it's critical to have a fast and reliable VPN connection.

Another thing that's important to think about before you become a Workshifter is your office hours. How are you going to organize your workday? Are you going to keep fixed office hours or be flexible in how you structure the workweek? When are you going to start the day? Since I mainly work with Europeans, I usually start my day early, around 6:30 a.m. to accommodate the time difference. I think it's important to consciously set a schedule and stick to it. If you don't, your work will end up taking over your personal life.

Also, clarify with your employer how you will be reimbursed for office expenses, such as phone bills, Internet, office supplies and other things. It's important to establish a framework for those costs in advance.

What do you like most about Workshifting?

That's easy: not having to go the office on Monday morning or commuting when the weather is bad. Of course, conversely, you also don't have that Friday-afternoon-weekend feeling when you work remotely.

What has surprised you about working remotely?

One of the things that I find interesting is the bond that is formed with other Workshifters. I've found that I've developed very close relationships with other colleagues who work remotely - more so than those who work in the office. It's like a new alliance!

What are your favorite Workshifting tools?

One of the first things I do when I turn on my laptop in the morning is to log on to my IP telephony and video service provider. Although not everyone I work with has a webcam, I think it's important to communicate in real time with your colleagues.

Another thing I think every home office should have is a scanner. You will need to scan receipts for your expenses and provide your signature on documents along with many other things.

Photo Credit: churchbrat

Today's post is an interview with Todd Mera of AwardWallet.com, a very useful website that can track your award points and remind you of their impending expiration. Launched in 2004, Award Wallet it is gaining a following of dedicated users

So tell us a bit about your background, AwardWallet, and what motivated you to start it?
AwardWallet was started out of a need for me and my business partner to track our miles more efficiently. There were a couple apps out there that helped with this but they did not meet our needs. I was looking for something that was easy to use and available from anywhere, anytime. More and more people were using web based application and it made sense to build AwardWallet as a web application.

Sounds like you're a jetsetter. Do you workshift a lot? What are your necessary gadgets?
I like to think of myself as 'An Office of One'.  Meetings in a hotel lobby connected to the Wi-Fi doing a web demonstration with a global audience is not uncommon. My newest favorite gadget is my new Sony eReader.  I used to carry about 10 lbs of books with me everywhere I traveled.  I also remember ripping out the first 100 or so pages of a large technical book to read on a flight.  I just couldn't bring that 1500 page technical magna carta with me.  Now, I carry 1000s of digital books with me all the time.

What's the largest benefit you see AwardWallet offering workshifters?
If you are a workshifter, you are probably on the road a bit. AwardWallet will help you track and take advantage of the miles you are accumulating.  AwardWallet will allow you to see all of your frequent flyer miles, hotel points, car rental points and many more from a single screen.  AwardWallet will automatically update the balances and let you view all of your travel equity from a single screen.

Another great feature...AutoLogin.  From AwardWallet.com click on the program name, ie Delta, and we will take you to their site and automatically log you in allowing you to check in for you flight and do any other necessary business. All in all - Huge time saver!

What do you think is the single most important thing for the workshifter to keep in mind when using their award points?
DON'T LET THEM EXPIRE.  Frequent Flyer miles can expire in 12-18 month of no activity depending on the program.  You spent all this time earning those miles flying from here to there.  Don't waste them. AwardWallet will let you know if any of your miles are due to expire. With this info the workshifter can now create some activity on the account where the miles are about to expire and reset the clock.

What advice can you offer workshifters on account management?
Know what you have Get points for everything.  Example, I only buy stuff with credit cards that allow me to earn points.  I then pay off the credit card every month.  I even buy all of my groceries with a credit card.

Use them. You earned them. Take a trip. They do not earn interest and they are not getting more valuable.  So go have some fun.


Photo Credit: Bob the Lomond

Earlier this week I interviewed Greg Matthews, Director of Innovation at Humana, while he was in Boston to speak at the Enterprise 2.0 conference.  A title such as "Director of Innovation" is not one that we're used to seeing in the health industry.  This interview provides a glimpse into all of the innovative things that Greg and his team are working on. 

Many of these innovations apply to the mobile and distributed workforce by encouraging people to get out from behind their desks and become more active.

Note: Don't mind that the video is a little shaky.  I forgot to bring along the tripod :)

While searching through the photos on the CrumpleItUp's Flickr account, I thought these few were particularly interesting.  Why?  Because even though Greg and his team don't usually work from airports, coffee shops, bookstores or other workshifting locations, they have taken the time to make their office a fun, active and inspiring place to work. 

By making this investment into their work space, the Innovation Center shows it's employees that they want them to be active, have fun, and not be stuck at their cubicle or in their office all day.




To learn more about Greg and Humana's Innovation Center, you can find them on the very fun website CrumpleItUp.  You can also check out recent posts by Chris Brogan ("More Fun Then Talking About Insurance") and Amber Rae Lambke ("Social Business from the Inside Out").

You can connect with Greg on Twitter and LinkedIn.

What are some ways that you stay active as a workshifter?