Today we have a guest post from Brent LaSala who is Citrix Online workshifter.

Recently I had the privilege of workshifting with Eric Bensley, a good friend and co-worker at Citrix Online.   As a permanent workshifter based in San Francisco, this was a rare opportunity to assess the dynamics of working from home with a teammate.  Needless to say, there were a few lessons learned.
 
Eric arrived at my apartment Monday morning around 10:30am, just as my alarm was going off... Only kidding, David (my boss), it was more like 7:30am.  We cooked a delicious egg scramble because we're a couple of well-rounded, domesticated gentlemen that function best with high blood sugar levels.  It's not relevant to my post, but let's face it, cooking your own meals is a major workshifting perk that keeps extra change in the piggybank and adipose tissue off your finely sculpted abdomen.
 
The day started out great.  We were energized, excited for the work day, and before long were bouncing (brilliant?) ideas off one another while pounding coffees.  By about lunchtime we noticed a few 'home-dwelling' behaviors/sounds not ideally suited for a prosperous work environment.  A knowing glance of discomfort, coupled with some form of verbal outcry was typically enough to relay a message of disapproval.  Video production is a small hobby of mine, so by about the 4 o'clock hour we were inspired to make the following tutorial on workshifting etiquette, only 'slightly' exaggerated.  Hope you enjoy!

Two business researchers have a study coming out that suggests that many workers are afraid to speak out lest they be mocked by their peers and bosses. According to an HBR blog post, "we relentlessly work to avoid 'image risks,' ... In an analysis of responses from 425 employees in a variety of U.S. businesses, Yuan and Woodman found that worries about image risk significantly diminish employees' innovativeness."

In other words, people think shutting up is smarter than speaking out. And, in their workplaces, they may be right--which underscores the need for a broad culture shift to ignite innovation.

Can workshifters form the vanguard of this new movement?

This isn't an idle question. I was working on my own long before workshifting was a word and telecommuting was an acceptable business practice. I've found that workshifters innovate every day by trial and error, from testing new markets to tweaking our bookkeeping systems to something as mundane (but critically important) as figuring out the best way to recharge multiple devices on the go.

And we have one more big thing in common: we dare to be different.

Does workshifting make you fearless? If so, why?


Photo Credit: Man's Pic

Like many people, I spend a lot of time traveling.  And, I don't mind it but I'm always looking for things or ways to make traveling a bit more like home.  It's amazing how one or two little conveniences can relieve insecurities when you're in an unfamiliar place, new hotel surroundings, etc.

Interestingly enough, the topic came up at a recent conference.  What do you travel with that makes life a little more bearable so you can focus on the task at hand...which is work?  Here's what we came up with:

1.    Outlet - Maybe it's just the hotels I frequent, but they never seem to have enough outlets or they have them in the wrong places.  That's why I carry a 3 plug extension that also has 2 USB outlets.  It's small and I don't have to worry about cords all over my hotel room.  I can get work done and charge my gadgets at the same time.

2.    Book Reader - After listening to my friends rave about their electronic readers, I'm gonna have to break down and get one of these.  And now, there are many different kinds to choose from.  Besides the obvious advantage of not taking up a lot of space, there were a couple other benefits that intrigued me.  One was always having the latest and greatest sellers available; you can also pre-order books and have them delivered right to your reader.  But the biggest for me was the reader will stand up on a table.  I often travel alone and eat meals by myself...so being able to have something to read is important.  Having a reader stand up on a table is a great solution.

3.    Coffee (or tea) - There's nothing worse than waking up to terrible hotel coffee or tea.  In tiny cups.  So if you're like me and need that morning caffeine - even before I venture out to find a Starbucks - bring a couple of small disposable condiments with you.  For example, I'm a big fan of vanilla - and I've found vanilla instant coffee, vanilla creamer and even vanilla flavored sweetener.  Friends have done the same with their hazelnut fix.  And, I bring a travel size coffee mug.  I can use it for water on the plane then coffee in my room.

4.    Exercise - I'm not as good with this one as I should be but I do try to get in some exercise when I'm on the road.  And because sneakers can be bulky and hotel gyms can be expensive, I bring resistance bands.  They really work, take up virtually no space and I can exercise in my room.

5.    White Noise - Getting a good night's sleep is essential.  Otherwise you'll need to pack a lot of coffee (see #3).  One of the things that helps me sleep is having noise, similar to house noise, in my room.  I have apps on my iPhone that create white noise (or other sounds) to help me sleep.  If you don't have an iPhone, there are travel alarms that include a white noise feature.


Whether you're gone for one night or a week, being comfortable when you travel allows you to be productive and do your best work.  What comforts of home do you bring with you when traveling?

Photo Credit: ThinkPanama

This blog was designed to serve the Workshifting community with relevant information contributed by the community, and when appropriate mention our services.  However, every now and again a really interesting and useful fact lands on my desk that I feel compelled to share.

The graph represents Citrix Online's internal use of GoToMeeting and GoToWebinar compared to our Average Travel Spend per Head Count.  The reduction in our Average Travel Spend is significant as our use of online meeting tools has increased (special thanks to Scott Allen).

I thought it would be useful to pull back the kimono and show internal data that demonstrates the value of online meeting tools.  I feel like I should add the disclaimer, "...individual results may vary".  However, I don't believe that to be true.  There are many choices as it pertains to Workshifting tools, and plenty is being written about adoption.  Once put into practice, whatever your tool of choice, the impact can be significant.

However, ROI for online meeting services is not always measured by a reduction in travel expenses.  In many cases your travel may increase because your use of the tools has allowed you to interact with an even greater number of clients and potential clients.  If you're that person, ROI could be measured in terms of an increase in Leads, Gross Revenue or Bookings.  For many others, ROI is defined by Productivity and Family Time.

The point is not to pigeonhole yourself into one or the other.  Select the tools that best serve your needs and the needs of your team.  It's your adoption of the tools into your life that makes them effective, not vice versa.  

How do you measure the effectiveness of your Workshifting tools?

Ratings and reviews have become a large part of what influences my decisions on where I eat, sleep and drink while traveling.  I constantly find myself checking tips on Foursquare and reviews on Yelp to help me decide where I want to spend my time and money.  These reviews and ratings are valuable because I know they are user generated and I can trust the opinion of normal people like myself, for the most part.  

Now imagine if we applied these ratings and reviews to workshifting.  I go to Starbucks in Stratford upon Avon looking to get some work done.  I get my coffee, sit down and realize they have free wifi, plugs at nearly every table against the wall and its pretty quite (except at 3:30pm when all the kids get out of school).  So I get out my Nexus One, check in on foursquare and write a tip about the great atmosphere, free wifi and outlets and I tag this tip with our cute hashtag #workshifting.  Or I am at my coffee shop in NYC and I write a tip that the Bean has free wifi however they have only three outlets and I use the #workshifting hashtag.  Next time you are in the East Village looking for a place to workshift you probably won't go to the Bean if you need to plug in.  Now we have the ability to make our #workshifting hashtag valuable.

What are your thoughts?

Photo Credit: Melissa Leon

Many articles have been written about the personality traits needed to be a successful workshifter. Most stress the importance of finding people who are flexible, adaptable go-getters and disciplined workers. But in my opinion, the traits of those people who manage workshifters are equally important. A strong relationship between managers and workshifters is one of the most important elements in a sustained remote working environment.

I'm lucky because two of the three people who supervise me also work out of their homes and as a result understand the situational factors that influence a workshifting environment. But I know this isn't the case for everyone. As a workshifter, the people who manage you are often the only lifeline you have to the office and sometimes even clients and customers. It can quickly become frustrating if you're stuck with a manager who isn't in tune with your unique needs or tries to control every move you make.

As a result, it's important for organizations to not only focus on the workshifters that are part of the team, but also the managers who oversee them. Identify the people who have a management style that best supports worshifters, and provide them with the freedom they need to successfully manage a remote workforce.

From my perspective, here are some of the traits I've found to be most important in people who manage workshifters:

1. Be an over-communicator. In my opinion, there's no such thing as communicating too much with a workshifter. Workshifters are not around to hear the back and forth about ongoing projects in the office, which is valuable information they're missing out on. Make sure you keep your remote team in the loop. Develop mechanisms that will help them stay informed without having to constantly call their office cohorts to get the information they need.
   
   
2. Be a team builder. Feeling a part of the team is important to the success of workshifters. It increases motivation levels and helps reduce feelings of isolation. Managers who are natural team builders will succeed in acting as a bridge between the culture within the office and the remote team.
    
3. Don't micro-manage. Excessive scrutiny increases stress, fosters insecurity and doesn't empower workshifters to contribute their own ideas. It also gives the impression that that you don't trust them. Managers need to figure out a way to monitor the workshifter without micro-managing them. Build trust. Emphasize deliverables instead of actions.
   
   
4. Be responsive. Appointing your busiest employee to manage a team of workshifters is probably not the best idea. Workshifters who don't hear back from their manager until the end of the day will become frustrated at their inability to move projects forward due to lack of information. Managers need to make a conscious effort to be responsive and make themselves available to their team. 
   
   
5. Be curious. Take time to understand your workshifter's world.  It's easy to build relationships with the people you see every day in the office. For offsite employees this becomes more challenging. Workshifters who believe their managers do not understand their world will feel unsupported and skeptical about their managers' ability to give performance feedback. Managers should go out of their way to get to know workshifters and make them feel more connected. Visit each other's home office. Share family photos. Meet regularly.
   
   
6. Be flexible. Workshifters are a self-motivated, autonomous and dedicated group. This means that managers must look at workshifters as individuals and not as a group entity. Understand each individual's unique needs and motivations and how to respond to them.
   

Do you have any other traits that you would add to this list?

Photo Credit: Round Indigo Rock

In social media we understand and accept the principles of sharing, engaging and being open to serendipity. We benefit from engaging and sharing information with people online to form new friendships and working relationships. But how often do we ignore these same social media principles in "real life"? How many times do we sit in the coffee shop working all day with our headphones in trying not to make eye contact with the person sitting next to us?

I share my thoughts on sharing, engagement, and serendipity in a short video....


Your thoughts?

Photo Credit: Medmoiselle T

When I started my consulting business eight years ago, I heard tons of advice about setting up a home office.  Everything from - "don't do it" to "it will take two years to get used to it."  While on the surface, hearing the words "work from home" might conjure up the somewhat blissful vision of a person working in their sweats all day, having a home office does take some getting used to.  And in order to be successful, you have to plan the environment for your needs.

If you think about it, when companies design work spaces they do it for maximum efficiency and productivity.  When you make the decision to work at home, you want to focus on the same things.  Create a space that allows you to be comfortable, efficient and productive.

7 Considerations for Setting Up a Home Office

1. Location, Location, Location - Think about the best place in your home to designate as work space.  Not only should you think about how much space you will need, but whether or not the space needs to have a door or window.  For instance, having a window doesn't matter to me.  But having a door does.  I need to be able to separate myself from work.  And, the best way to do that...is by closing the door.
   
   I also considered the temperature of my house.  My home has an east-west facing.  Meaning the back of the house is warmer toward the end of the day.  So I intentionally have my office at the front of the house.  It stays cooler and I don't have to deal with too much sunlight.
   
   
2. Ergonomics - In order to do your best work, you have to be comfortable.  And, that comfy sofa in front of the plasma TV starts looking real good after a couple hours in a poorly designed workspace. Your office chair needs to properly support your back.  If you'll be working on a computer from home, make sure you have proper lighting and wrist rests. 
   
   I know this might sound elementary, but you'd be amazed at the people who don't consider taking good care of their posture in designing a home office.  It's one thing to jump in a chair and send off a few bills from a desk.  That takes minutes.  It's another thing to work for hours.  Reading a few articles on how to take good care of your movements will make you healthier and more productive.
   
   
3. Communication Musts - One of the keys to working from home is being accessible.  I've always found my clients didn't care where I was as long as (a) they could reach me and (b) I delivered on time.  This means how you communicate is key, because you are establishing your credibility and creating trust.
   
   Many people use their cell phones as primary communication devices.  Which is great.  I love my iPhone and use it all the time.  But I also know there are a couple of places in my home that the coverage is spotty and I could drop a call.  So I have a landline backup.  Nothing is worse than being on an important conference call and getting dropped off the line.  I'm not endorsing one way over another...just keep in mind how you need to communicate when setting up your office.
   
   Also when it comes to phone coverage, think about whether voicemail, forwarding services and applications like Google Voice make sense to keep you connected to your customers.
   
   My last two-cents about phones - one of the best investments I made was a wireless headset.  If you spend a lot of time on conference calls, this could be a lifesaver for you.  It's also great when you're on a call and someone wants you to sign for a package.  Multitasking at its best.
   
   In planning your communication needs, consider other electronics.  I know faxing can seem old-fashioned, but some places still use it.  A lot.
    
   
4. Technology - Talking about communication leads to discussions about the internet.  If you have multiple computers in your home, a wireless network might be necessary.  I've had plenty of occasions where the Ethernet cable wasn't working but the wireless network kept me up and running until a repair was made.
   
   Ever lost a document you spent hours creating because the electricity blinked?  Well, don't let that happen.  Get a battery back-up (also known as a UPS - Unlimited Power Supply) for your computer.  Trust me.  It's money well spent.
   
   I also can't resist sharing my technology indulgence.  Dual monitors.  Years ago, the graphic designer who worked on my website suggested it.  If you spend a lot of time on computers, it will completely change the way you work and your productivity.
    
   
5. Storage - As you finish projects and/or accumulate resources, you'll have to find someplace to keep all of this "stuff."  First, I'd suggest contacting an attorney who can offer some advice on how many years you need to store projects. 
   
   After you know how long to store files, consider how you'll maintain both electronic files and hard copy.  And how you'll dispose of them as well.  I've found a wonderful service that brings a truck to my door, destroys files on-site and provides a certificate they've been destroyed.  So I can rest assured that any confidential info that has been entrusted to me by my customers is safe. 
   
   It goes without saying that I use a personal shredder for everyday items.
   
   
6. Find Your Zone - Working from home can be a blessing and a curse.  Need to take 5 minutes to make a personal phone call - no problem.  Want to work in your pajamas, no worries.  But it also means that work is staring you in the face all the time. 
   
   While you might enjoy what you do...you still need time to disconnect.  Figure out a routine that works for you.  When I first started working at home, I was so concerned about falling into the trap of being undisciplined that I made myself miserable.  After settling into a schedule that allowed me to do some things that were important to me - like working out - I was happier and more productive.
   
   
7. Marketing your office - Even though you work at home, you still want to send the message that you're a professional.  So when I refer to where I work - it's called the office.  Not home.  

And since it's not feasible to hold meetings in my home, I also think about where to hold meetings.  Lucky for me, most of my clients want me to meet them at their site.  Or they want to meet over coffee or lunch.  But find good places to have meetings so you're always prepared when a customer wants to see you face-to-face.

With more people considering freelancing and consulting, working from home has plenty of advantages. A well-thought-out plan to establishing a home office can offer you a casual, comfortable, flexible place to work that's also easy to set up and relatively inexpensive to maintain.  Best of all, it's a place where you can really get things done!

Photo Credit: Paladin27

In the last week I have taken two flights, rode in a bus and on a train.  While on these three modes of transportation I evaluated what type of work could I get done.  How productive could I really be while in transit from one place to another.  I usually sleep on a flight or in a train ride, but recently I have tried to make that time productive.  

I have not been lucky enough to be on a flight with internet as of yet.  So my productivity is limited to what I can sync offline and finish while in the air.  I used my time on a flight from London to Barcelona to answer emails and work on blogs posts.  Once we landed I connected to the internet and synced my emails and sent out my blog posts.  This was a pretty good use of the three hour flight to Barcelona, considering I would usually have slept that whole flight.

On the train I had my broadband card so I was able to access the internet to work on a client proposal and record a screencast for an application.  The train was nice because the seats were spacious and if you get on the train a bit early you can get a seat with table.  The hardest place for me to work was on the bus.  The bus was really cramped and extremely difficult to work on.  The space was too small to try to work on my laptop and the ride was bumpy making it really hard for me to read because I get motion sick.  So I used the rest of the bus ride to catch up on some sleep.  So at the end of it I got some sleep but realized that I can be pretty productive on a train or plane.  

What do you do while in transit to stay productive?  What type of work do you do on planes, trains and buses?

One of the most fundamental elements of planning any trip is where to stay.  At the moment, I am on a very long trip that, in the end, will span 3 continents and several countries.  Locating and booking affordable accommodations that provide what is important to me can become a pain sometimes.  For the past year, I have leveraged the collective wisdom of both Yelp and Foursquare to assist in these searches.  Below is a quick video post identifying the items I look for in accommodations while on workshifting trip.
 

What are the things you look for when searching for a place to stay?