Comments on: Working When You Want, Where You Want – A Dream Come True Or a Nightmare In Disguise?

By: Amy Fowler

Amy Fowler — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 09:21:00 +0000

Do you work remotely then Sheila? Why do you feel you’re always pushing to get one more thing done? Is this your employer or yourself that makes you work like that?

By: Amy Fowler

Amy Fowler — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 09:19:00 +0000

Is everyone more productive this way though? I’d bet that a lot of people aren’t. Surely this is another big problem with the idea that whole companies can operate remotely; they’ll have to be incredible careful with regards to who they employ.

And, if remote working becomes the ‘norm’, where does that leave all the people who aren’t disciplined enough to work wherever and whenever?

By: joey

joey — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 08:01:00 +0000

modern technologies and progressive attitudes could offer us in the near future. 93C46

By: Five Blogs – 27 December 2012 « 5blogs

Five Blogs – 27 December 2012 « 5blogs — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 05:23:31 +0000

[...] Working When You Want Where You Want A Dream Come True Or A Nightmare In Disguise Written by: Nichole Kelly [...]

By: Arsham Mirshah

Arsham Mirshah — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 23:29:00 +0000

Good stuff, great post & I definitely agree.. it’s totally a “grass is greener” situation.

Arguments for office:

- Value of the face-to-face interaction & collaboration you get within an office (especially as the owner of an agency, I need that quick & high-touch environment).
The only way to 1-up the collaboration of an office is if technology found a way to emulate telepathy.

- An office is a clear separation of work and life.

- Everyone is on the same schedule.

- Shared resources (internet, food, printer, etc..)

Arguments for workcation:

- It’s “cool” .. “I work when I want” -OR- “I don’t HAVE to work”

- Talent .. don’t have to rely on the local market for talent, can source and recruit nationally or even internationally.

At the end of the day, with the right rules and accountability in place, you might be able to have a company that allows for both types of employee.

By: WiseStep

WiseStep — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 05:53:00 +0000

I totally agree with you. As everything in this world has both advantages and disadvantages, similarly Workcation has it’s advantages as well as disadvantages. In my view, reaching targets will come into picture more as compared to when we work in office location.

By: Florentine Poncelet

Florentine Poncelet — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 23:05:00 +0000

I have been working remotely for the past 6 months. Setting boundaries between work and free time throughout the day has never really been an issue. Just like I would have planned my 2 weeks vacation if I had been working on a 9-to-5/Monday-to-Friday basis, I have been able to set specific times for work and leisure and to stick to that.
I do agree that it makes it a bit harder to keep in touch with your team though. In my opinion, such system requires an extra effort in terms of organization (“core hours” can be a good solution), but I do think this is really doable in the end, and above all it shouldn’t discourage us from developing this method. A perpetual “workcation” may not be sustainable, but I am convinced a more flexible workstyle would at least bring a lot in terms of productivity and fulfillment… and I hope more and more companies will open their minds about that in the coming years!

By: John Wall

John Wall — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 12:15:00 +0000

Yes, virtual employees are completely viable it’s just a different set of variables. I read a recent study and can’t recall the source that said on average virtual employees are more productive because they tend to have better agreement as to what their goals and objectives are. It takes a lot more discipline than going into an office but there’s a lot more freedom. Management and goals must be better defined, but there’s opportunity for huge savings by reducing real estate expenses. I’ve been virtual for the past 2 years and I am more productive when not in the office. Politically you need to have some face time, but it’s easier to complete tasks and ship without the distractions in the office.

By: Sylvain Briant

Sylvain Briant — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 07:01:00 +0000

I am in workcation because i manage people at 6000km from me or from HQ, and for the moment, business trip twice a month to HQ is enought for us.

By: Sheila B.

Sheila B. — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 03:37:00 +0000

It seems like we’re always pushing to just get one more thing done then we’ll take a break. It is lots more work and a lot less vacation most of the time.

By: Nichole Kelly

Nichole Kelly — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 22:02:00 +0000

Kary – I agree the slippery slope of blurred work and family lines is indeed challenging. As we have to be diligent and have discipline to be successful in a workshifting environment, we also have to be diligent and have discipline to maintain balance. It’s something that does become a struggle, but I personally prefer that struggle to wasting two hours in my car each day commuting to a “corporate office”.

Congrats on your new position! I can’t wait to hear about the awesome you create!