Hurdles to a Digital Workforce

Generation Y voices in the blogosphere and elsewhere talk often about how our generation will make a few changes to the workforce. One of the first tasks on our to-do list -- which we hope Boomers will beat us to -- is creating a more digital workplace. Gen Yers have grown up seeing how people can manage to be connected to one another without being in adjacent cubicles. We went to college in an age where we could write every research paper without ever actually stepping foot in the library (unless to socialize). You call it lazy, and I call it efficient.

Boomers and Xers in the workplace are increasingly catching on, but can we blame them for not totally getting it? After all, if you are used to the idea of waking up and going to work every day to see co-workers face to face, it’s hard to break free from the mindset. OK, so that was my obligatory nod to older generations, and now I challenge them to reshape their outlook in order to create a happier, healthier and more efficient workforce.

I will be talking more and more about this, but to start, here is my incomplete list of the hurdles to a digital workforce. I am obviously talking about office jobs, as some jobs just don't work with telecommuting. I’m picturing those people who spend most of their time slaving over a computer screen doing very individual work, and could easily do the same work remotely.

Note that I’m not even putting technical problems on the list, because any person needs to know the same things about technology to function at work and at home. Overall, almost every study shows that working from home is cost-efficient. So, technical issues associated with individual jobs aside, here are the real blockades to a 100% pajama-clad workforce:

1. The Threatened Hierarchy
There are no corner offices on the Internet (at least, not that I know about). For bosses, letting workers telecommute relinquishes some perceived control. On the flip side, it also does not give reports the same opportunity to interact with the Michael Scotts and Lou Grants of the world, and might make Dilbert obsolete, which would make me sad. I would get over it though.

The clash is that Boomers and Gen Xers have spent their entire careers in extremely hierarchal structures where each step is defined and worked toward. Contrastingly, Gen Y has an attitude focused on group think, which is more suited for the online medium.

2. The Over-Romanticized Stoplight
When I worked in London, a co-worker and I were talking once about how we would have trouble giving up going to the office. She wistfully said she would miss watching the stoplights turn green and red.

I understood what she meant, especially in London where the streets were always a delight to experience every day. (I have since stopped romanticizing my commute because walking in Stamford, Connecticut, unfortunately doesn’t usually hold the same charm, especially after an hour or two on the train.) I can't imagine how bland the world could become if you didn't get out every once in a while. It seems the outings of Americans just won't be able to revolve around going to and from work -- which could be a good thing.

3. The Fixation on More Money, More Problems
Without getting too crazy academic (who am I kidding anyway?), I once interviewed Laurence Kotlikoff, an economist who prefers to look at retirement and living in the sense of quality of life rather than cost of life. That is simplifying his views, but the general idea stuck with me. We are uber-focused on how much we make. First of all, it obviously doesn’t matter depending on where you live. My friends in Ohio complain about their rent and my jaw drops open at how cheap it is. Second of all, why are we so focused on salary rather than benefit to life anyway? Companies are missing a huge opportunity to reward their employees by offering a more flexible working arrangement. In fact, if companies can’t afford raises and bonuses this year, why not let employees have better working arrangements, thereby lowering commuting cost and improving their quality of life?

This is reminiscent to me of one of my favorite rants: America is a live to work society, and we need to reset our mindset to be more work to live, which telecommuting would allow us more freedom to do.

4. A Financial Standstill
As I just alluded to, there is no time like the present for companies to capture the idea of a digital workforce. The financial crisis could prove to be a push for the digital workforce. However, the reason why I still list it as a "hurdle" is because the number might be lower than it could be because companies are so blockaded by financial constraints that new initiatives are tough to get to.

5. Perceived Inefficiency
There is still a slight stigma from some that “working from home” is the equivalent of “taking a nap.” Most companies will probably find, however, that the vast majority of people who choose to work from home work better at home. The real inefficiencies lie in the onslaught of office politics and personal conversations in the office, of which I am very guilty as an extroverted personality. When I work from home, I find it easier to block out the distractions and do what needs to be done. With that said, I’ve heard some people say they can’t concentrate at home whatsoever (particularly if they have small children). Therefore, working from home isn’t for everyone.

6. The Incessant Need for Humans to Interact
Oh, and by the way, I guess some people really like the idea of working together. As America moves toward telecommuting, society will be changing. For many, social lives are tied in with going to work, and spouses are met at work. I do think there is a way to get the best of both worlds, but we first have to use our Gen Y skills in helping our workforce build a vibrant community online. We also have to recognize the need to convene for human interaction in meaningful ways. Different jobs require a different amount of this. The best situation for many companies might be hybrid commuting -- allowing employees to spend some time at work and some time at home.

I look forward to hearing your success stories and complaints about the hurdles in your workplace.

Also, a few interesting news stories about telecommuting:

• Careerbuilder.com lists a few jobs that allow workers to work from home, and suggests how to approach your boss about telecommuting.
  
• MSNBC predicted last year that 14 million workers will telecommute by 2009.
• Computerworld also sees some hope in the crisis for the so-called "digital nomad" but notes that there's definitely cultural push-back: "...big cultural changes like this are always resisted, especially by the companies that should embrace mobile employees and by vendors that sell the goods and services that enable extreme mobility."