DARCY REZAC'S POSITIVE NETWORKING® TIP OF THE WEEK

No. 339 - July 25, 2010

Lone Wolves And The Pack. According to the Institute for Corporate Productivity 2009 survey, employees consider being able to work from home a positive benefit (59% said it is). But there is a challenge: research shows that innovation, and yes, even happier employees, comes from bonded, connected offices. How do you create that environment when employees rarely meet face to face. Enjoying the benefits of a flexible workplace, but avoiding a culture of lone wolves, means developing strategies that create personal connections. For example, can you start using video-based communication when talking to your team? (Kids do it all the time.) Can you encourage team members, who live near each other, to find a Starbucks to meet and grab a coffee. How often do you bring your team into the office? How welcoming is everyone and what really comes out of those face-to-face encounters? It’s a brave new world and how remote workers connect is not always a high priority. Is it with your company? Share your thoughts at Shepa Blog

--Darcy, Gayle and Judy