Work Naked: Eight Essential Principles for Peak Performance in the Virtual Workplace - Softcover

Froggatt, Cynthia C.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0787953903 ISBN 13: 9780787953904

Publisher: Jossey-Bass, 2001

Synopsis

Alternative workstyles can be a way to attract, retain, and motivate talented employees Enlightening, enjoyable, and extremely practical . . . offers real clarity about what is wrong with the way most companies work, plus exact directions on how to fix each and every office foolishness. Do what Froggatt says and watch your employees productivity rise. Scott Shuster, BusinessWeek Corporate and individual resistance to new ways of working are often imbedded within a company's culture--and can stifle change and hinder productivity. Organized around eight simple yet critical principles of the new workplace, Work Naked challenges long-held beliefs about the appropriate time, place, look, and feel of productivity in the knowledge era, showing how a wealth of hidden potential can be released by giving employees the freedom to work how, when, and where they want. Cindy Froggatt suggests workplace options that can help balance work and personal life, and helps managers address the needs of the many knowledge workers who require a greater degree of autonomy to perform, create, and innovate. She presents numerous examples of companies of different sizes and types that have instituted telework or alternative programs--and clearly explains the benefits and pitfalls of implementing them. Cindy Froggatt (New York, NY) is Principal of Froggatt Consulting, whose clients include Compaq, Mercedes-Benz, Capital One, and Nova Corporation.

About this title

About the Author

CYNTHIA C. FROGGATT principal of Froggatt Consulting, (New York, New York) advises Fortune 500 companies on aligning workplace strategies with business plans. She is frequently quoted on the topics of remote and mobile work strategies, overcoming resistance to change, and the virtual workplace in a variety of media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Home Office Computing, the San Jose Mercury News, Stern Business Journal, and National Public Radio's Morning Edition.

From the Back Cover

"Enlightening, enjoyable, and extremely practical, Work Naked offers real clarity about what is wrong with the way most companies work, plus exact directions on how to fix each and every office foolishness. Do what Froggatt says and watch your employee productivity rise." --Scott Shuster, Business Week "High-tech tools (cell phones, laptops, e-mail, bluetooth, videoconferencing, etc.) are not and never have been sufficient by themselves to gain competitive advantage. What's needed is a concurrent change in corporate culture, and Cynthia Froggatt helps lead the way." --William R. Pape, cofounder VeriFone, Inc. "Work Naked is a lively and eminently practical book. Froggatt pulls off a graceful sleight of hand with this engaging book: she uses the topic of working remotely as a trojan horse to cover virtually every essential element of working in the new economy. A great guide for those who are working remotely?and those with far-flung employees." --Tom Ehrenfeld, columnist, The Industry Standard, and author, The Startup Garden: How Growing A Business Grows You "Work Naked's eight principles provide keen insight into how we must change our attitude about work and the workplace to tap the extraordinary power of human creativity in the rapidly evolving connected economy. A must-read for enterprise leadership and those with a stake in achieving and sustaining competitive advantage." --Michael Bell, research director, Gartner Group "Cynthia Froggatt makes a persuasive case that the best way? indeed, the only way?that business leaders can stir creative minds is by giving up control. Her message to corporate America is powerfully simple and simply powerful: set your workers free." --Daniel H. Pink, publisher, FreeAgentNation.com, and author, Free Agent Nation: How America's New Independent Workers Are Transforming the Way We Live

From the Inside Flap

Do your employees have the freedom to work naked? That is, do they have the freedom to work where and when they are most effective? If not, you may be unwittingly limiting the performance of your company. Laptop computers, e-mail, voicemail, cell phones, and the Internet . . . technology has forever transformed the way we work. Or has it? Despite the myriad technological advances of the last decade, most knowledge economy businesses still cling to the mind-sets and customs of the traditional nine-to-five workplace. Work Naked challenges these outdated practices and uncovers hidden potential that can be realized when employees make smart choices about where and when to work. In this refreshing new book, Cynthia Froggatt offers a vision of the workplace unencumbered by traditional corporate rules and trappings where employers and employees can reap the benefits of remote and mobile work technologies. Discover how Cisco Systems, Nortel Networks, Merrill Lynch, Jupiter Communications, Deloitte & Touche, the federal government, American Express, Autodesk, Herman Miller, and many other large and small enterprises have adopted innovative ways of working and are leveraging the power of the virtual workplace. Using the eight Work Naked principles, business leaders, managers, and employees can shed their old ideas about work and ? Take the Initiative to explore remote and mobile work strategies ? Trust employees to work out of sight and improve performance ? Encourage Joy in the workplace and avoid overwork and high turnover ? Celebrate Individuality and encourage creativity, self-management, and stronger solo contributions ? Emphasize Equality to remove barriers to communication ? Engage in honest Dialogue and enhance global collaboration ? Optimize Connectivity among stakeholders to strengthen relationships and attract a talented workforce ? Support a wide range of Workplace Options so employees can be more effective in both solo and collaborative work Written with wisdom and a healthy dose of wit, Work Naked is the survival handbook for making virtual work . . . work! The Author Cynthia C. Froggatt, principal of Froggatt Consulting, (New York, New York) advises Fortune 500 companies on aligning workplace strategies with business plans. She is frequently quoted on the topics of remote and mobile work strategies, overcoming resistance to change, and the virtual workplace in a variety of media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Home Office Computing, the San Jose Mercury News, Stern Business Journal, and National Public Radio's Morning Edition. Visit Cynthia Froggatt at www.worknakedbook.com

Reviews

Consultant Froggatt explores employer and employee attitudes about working from home as the traditional office diminishes in importance. While most employees claim greater productivity at home, some employers harbor doubts. To address these divergent views, Froggatt recommends establishing formal programs for offsite workers that consider workload, communication issues, goals and technology as exemplified by Ernst & Young and SAS. With charts for tracking meetings, communication and commuting time, this guide targets managers who supervise offsite employees. The appealing title and Froggatt's connections to major business media will yield a strong start.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Froggatt's title is meant both literally and figuratively. She is a consultant who has made a name for herself advising companies how to "align their workplace strategies with their business plans." This often means redefining the workplace, providing optional work structures, and eliminating "outdated corporate rules and trappings." Froggatt herself works from home and enjoys the creative freedom such a circumstance offers--even the possibility to "work naked." But she also emphasizes that managers must shed "layers and layers of outdated corporate norms and mind sets" in order to encourage and foster initiative, trust, joy, individuality, equality, dialogue, connectivity, and alternative workplace options. Using both success stories and statistics, Froggatt demonstrates that when managers embrace mobility and flexibility for their employees, the result is reduced turnover and a more productive workforce. David Rouse
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Froggatt, a self-employed consultant who formerly worked in the area of facilities management, now advises companies on aligning workplace strategies with business plans. Here she discusses the concept of allowing employees a choice in determining when, where, and how to work. Options include working from home or in a different office environment and choosing flexible hours and weekends. Principles involving initiative, trust, joy, individuality, equality, dialog, connectivity, and workplace options are examined in detail, taking into consideration the responsibilities of both management and employees. Case studies with well-known companies that have successfully implemented some of these changes (Cisco, IBM, and Charles Schwab, to name a few), along with pertinent documentation, support her concept. Her thought-provoking examination of this timely topic is presented in a comprehendible style and would be a good addition to public and academic business collections as well as specialized business libraries. Steven J. Mayover, formerly with Free Lib. of Philadelphia
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0787953903
• ISBN 13: 9780787953904
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320