February 2 marks another Groundhog Day. Another year I cross my fingers hoping that Phil won't see his shadow... or maybe I want him to see it. I can never remember, but mark my word, I'm rooting for spring. The reality usually sets in though -- it is February and I do live in the D.C. area. It's a safe bet that Old Man Winter will stay for a while longer.
The irregular weather patterns lately have us all scurrying to find our jackets, snow gear, or even at times flip flops. It's been an odd season. Whatever Phil has in his hat (or up his sleeve), the forecast tells us that, as an organization, we have to prepare for whatever he throws our way.
That's where we see a huge return in working remotely. The rise in BYOD adoption, video conferencing, and other mobile technologies means we are able to stay connected to the office and our colleagues no matter where we are. We are no longer commuting to the office every day. Telework is becoming more of the norm across both public and private sectors. It's not about the location, it's about the work.
So, now that telework is in the fast lane, what does that mean for the discussion? It means the conversation is changing. It's not about managing teleworkers, but it's about managing the performance for all employees. How do we encourage mobility for every employee? How do we ensure we remain resilient in case Phil sees his shadow? We do so by enabling a mobile workforce.
Telework Exchange has spent the last eight years supporting the awareness and adoption of telework. Now, we're expanding our role to cover both telework and mobile IT discussions. After all, telework and mobility are two sides of the same coin.
This year, we are taking on the winter season with a new name -- Mobile Work Exchange. The future will bring even more topics for discussion and opportunities to share lessons learned in both telework and mobility. Our mission will continue to be to drive further telework adoption, while also focusing on the IT needs to support a remote workforce.
Here's to working together in the future to enable a more mobile and agile workforce, and to Phil making the right decision.
Cindy Auten is the general manager of Mobile Work Exchange and hibernates in her home office during the winter.