Your Business Could Benefit From a 'Virtual Watercooler'

Over the last year we've seen companies starting to doubt the virtues of the mobile workforce with HP, Yahoo! and a few others calling hundreds of employees back into the office. But was it the right move?

These tech giants, and those who have followed, may be reacting too soon to what some have called a "disengaged workforce." The known benefits of telecommuting seem as desirable as ever as businesses look to add value and increase ROI wherever possible.

Even when measured against the perks of working in-house, telecommuting seems to have the edge with enterprise-level cloud telecom now available to businesses of all sizes and their remote teams.

(Offsite) Employee Satisfaction vs. (Onsite) Staff Chemistry

It's common knowledge (and common sense) that people working from home describe higher job satisfaction and a better balance of work and family. According to a review by the Telework Research Network of about 2,000 studies conducted over the last 10 years, employees who work outside of the office can have higher productivity because of: fewer interruptions, greater flexibility, more time for work and more.

Remote workers also feel less stress while working at home than in an office environment, and can save an average of $2,000 (Canadian) a year in vehicle and work-related costs.

Ultimately both employees and employers reap the benefits of these perks and others. Businesses gain a more positive workforce, less employee turnover and increased job performance.

Then what is it about the office dynamic that is worth protecting? Last year, in the New Yorker, James Surowiecki pointed out that telecommuting limits the countless face-to-face exchanges that lead to valuable ideas and solutions. There's evidence to suggest that employees actively discuss and solve work-related problems when they're chatting in the halls, in the break room, and on lunch. Presumably, the larger the company is, the more of these interactions there are to harness -- perhaps justifying Yahoo's bold move.

Without these break time insights, he claims, the company as a whole loses a deep, albeit intangible, resource for problem solving, brainstorming and teamwork. Any company struggling with its identity and competitive edge just can't afford to give up this live chemistry. Surowiecki concluded that relationships between coworkers may be negatively affected despite other benefits.

If so, then the decision between in-house and remote work becomes a difficult trade-off.

So how do we decide between the two?

We might not have to.

Each communications breakthrough, whether it's a new device, interface or application, makes that gap between people a little bit smaller. Surowiecki pointed out that telecommuting works fine for planned interactions, but less so for the spontaneous ones. But the line between planned and spontaneous is changing as the technology progresses.

Advanced communication systems allow people to easily find other coworkers and engage them through multiple channels and devices. Coworkers can dial each other into voice or video, screen sharing and collaborative file sessions, giving those casual conversations a range of tools to enhance the experience and exchange. The spontaneous conversation can even continue out of the office with mobile devices and softphone technology. And the most fruitful conversations can be recorded for later use.

Now imagine a company policy that encouraged these online exchanges. Instead of a dramatic employee recall like Yahoo's -- an equally bold "social telecommuting policy" would create waves of change. The technology is already around to support it, and only getting better. We just need people to use it, and employers to let them.

The potential of telecommuting is really only beginning as advanced Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) and Unified Communications (UC) grow in popularity and ability. It's a potential 'best of both worlds,' allowing companies to nurture job satisfaction, productivity as well as working relationships. With UC, there's no need to choose between the two. Having a rich exchange at the 'virtual watercooler' is a viable option more employers can start looking at before jumping into an all or nothing approach to remote work.

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How To Make Your Commute Less Stressful

Grab A Jar Of Vicks VapoRub(01 of09)

Alan R. Hirsch, MD, FACP, the neurological director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, says that inhaling certain scents -- like jasmine -- has been found to improve motor reaction time, helping you to hit the brakes faster. A mixture of eucalyptus, camphor and menthol (found in Vicks VapoRub) has been shown to enhance empathy -- helpful when you're caught behind a Sunday driver on a manic Monday. And if it feels like the walls of your compact car are caving in, the scent of green apple and cucumber (which studies have found reduce anxiety and claustrophobia) could help you maintain your cool. However, spritzing a fragrance all over your car's interior can discolor the upholstery, says Jessica Hanson, director of fragrances at Sephora. Instead, spray a scent on a piece of felt, keep it in your glove compartment and pull it out before you hit the road. (credit:Thinkstock)

Don't Fall For The Faster-Moving Lane(02 of09)

In a recent Los Angeles experiment wherein one driver changed as many lanes as he could to get an advantage and another drove the same stretch staying in one lane, researchers found that after about 10 miles the cars were only separated by about 15 seconds, says Tom Vanderbilt, author of Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us). And a survey conducted by the Texas Transportation Institute reported that over 50 percent of participants cited merging to be the most stressful activity faced during driving. The solution: Pick one lane -- preferably the right one, where you'll find the majority of the country's exits -- and stay there, says Robert McClanahan, director of transportation and safety education at Central Tech in Drumright, Oklahoma. (credit:Thinkstock)

Lay Off The Horn For Your Health(03 of09)

Nobody likes a honker, and making a lot of noise is no more effective than repeatedly pressing an elevator button -- nobody is magically going to jump out of your way, says Vanderbilt. European studies have linked traffic noise to raised blood pressure and heart attacks, among other cardiovascular diseases. In other words, save the horn for emergency situations only, and you'll be less likely to end up in the ER yourself. (credit:Thinkstock)

Crack Yourself Up(04 of09)

Peter McGraw, associate professor of marketing and psychology at University of Colorado, Boulder, and director of the Humor Research Lab, says a study has shown that subjects exposed to humorous stimuli had an elevated threshold for physical discomfort. We're going to take a giant scientific leap and say that listening to the recently released audiobook Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), read by the author and star of "The Office," Mindy Kaling, might help put you in a better mood. (credit:Thinkstock)

Believe It: Slower Can Be Faster(05 of09)

Vanderbilt says a recent experiment in the Colorado mountains found that the majority of traffic jams and car crashes were the result of people driving into slower traffic too fast. When police paced drivers at 55 miles per hour (instead of the usual 70 or 75) they discovered that everyone moved faster. Luxury car companies have developed systems that regulate speed and interval to the car ahead, and some, like Mercedes, are working on a technology that would allow vehicles to communicate with one another about upcoming traffic and road conditions. These systems will likely trickle down to the nonluxury sector (just like power locks, power windows and heated seats did). In the meantime, try to use your cruise control when possible and don't tailgate, which researchers have found not only increases your risk of hitting the vehicle you are following but also being struck by the car behind you, says Vanderbilt. (credit:Thinkstock)

Keep The Peace(06 of09)

You might not think you have any control over other people on the road (like the driver giving you the stink eye in the next car over), but acknowledging their behavior opens the floodgates to more aggression, says McClanahan. Keep your eyes moving in any direction but that of the maniac pulled up next to you. Instead, check your rearview or side mirrors and watch the car ahead. (credit:Thinkstock)

Abide By The Buddy System(07 of09)

Vanderbilt points out that you are less likely to crash when you have a passenger in the car (with the exception of teenage drivers). Try the free Avego iPhone app that offers empty seats in your car to potential passengers along your route in real time and provides electronic micropayments so that you can easily split up the cost of the ride. (credit:Thinkstock)

Give Your Cell Phone The Silent Treatment(08 of09)

Unless you're a brain surgeon, Vanderbilt says driving is likely the most complex thing you do every day. Researchers estimate that about 1,500 to 2,500 skills and activities are undertaken while at the wheel, he adds. In his book, Vanderbilt notes that the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that almost 80 percent of crashes involve drivers who were not paying attention for three seconds or less before the event. Other research has found that you are just as impaired using a cell phone (either hand-held or hands-free) as you are when you drive intoxicated. Bottom line: Switch your phone off. (credit:Thinkstock)

Know Before You Go(09 of09)

Back roads may move slower and seem less stressful, but Vanderbilt says highways are almost always the better (and safer) option. "There are fewer points of conflict -- you don't have to worry about catching the light or keeping an eye open for anyone pulling out of a store parking lot," he adds. And 57 percent of all traffic fatalities occur on rural roads, says Peter F. Crescenti, director of public information for AAA New York. Instead of winding through neighborhood streets to avoid a jam, see if you can adjust the time you leave in the morning. The 2010 U.S. Census notes that the majority of drivers head out between 7 and 7:29 a.m. Or download Waze, a free app that alerts you about traffic, police traps, accidents and other hazards so that you can choose the best route and shed time off your commute. (credit:Thinkstock)

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Your Business Could Benefit From a 'Virtual Watercooler'

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