Working Virtually : Transforming the Mobile Workplace

Remote working is the new reality, and transactional work – provided by freelancers, contract employees or consultants – has increased exponentially. It is forecast that as much as half the labor force will be working independently and virtually by 2020.

Most organizations are still grappling with how to effectively manage their virtual staff and how to effectively support and motivate them – an increasingly urgent task as more Millennials join the workforce, bringing changed attitudes to work satisfaction. This book, the fruit of the author’s three decades of experience planning and implementing remote working environments, provides expert guidance for anyone planning a shift to remote working, managing teams of teleworkers, or themselves working in a virtual team.

Working Virtually is for the executive leading changes in an enterprise that is preparing for virtual work or seeking to improve current performance. It offers tools to assess readiness, advice on creating appropriate reward policies, and strategies to adapt performance management processes to be more team-driven and technology leveraged.

Working Virtually is written to and for the virtual leader who wants to establish high performing virtual teams. It provides an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of managing a virtual team, offering a wealth of advice on creating the conditions for collaboration, motivating team members, and identifying and defusing problems.

Working Virtually is for the professional who works remotely from home, on the road, or in an office with remote colleagues. It is for anyone who wants to succeed in this new work environment by developing skills and networks to create a sustained and satisfying career path.

With this new edition providing a 360° view of the roles and objectives of all stakeholders in the virtual workspace, this book uniquely provides readers with a rounded picture of the policies, processes, work habits, and commitments needed to achieve the shared goal of high performance remote teams.

Trina Hoefling has been at the forefront in the field of remote management training, leading with the message that “Technology is the enabler, but People are the key.” Trina is an organization development and transformational change consultant, graduate school professor and master teacher, strategic facilitator, leadership coach and virtual team collaboration expert. A noted author and speaker, she is also a contributing chapter author in The Handbook of High Performance Virtual Teams, “The Three-Fold Path: Building Trust in a Virtual Team.” Trina is an accomplished thought leader who has never lost her passion for helping people and organizations grow. She especially enjoys being an online learning engagement facilitator, coach and shadow consultant to support today’s career professionals, teams and committed organizations.