Rita,

I think that teleworking is very dangerous in that it can lead to social
exclusion.  We don't telework per se, although because a great many of our
managers are frequently travelling (myself included) we are able to log in
and work from any point in the world given a laptop and a mobile.  Therefore
this happens de facto.

I attended a presentation from our IT people yesterday wherein the ability
to carry out more of out work via electronic means was put forward.  One of
the points I made was that, as a Company, we have lost the friendly team
spirit to some extent because so much work is done through e-mail,
electronic pro-forma and there is a danger of everyone becoming faceless.
There are obviously a lot of benefits to automating and to being able to
work outside the office but there is also a need to keep personal contact.

We employ very few disabled people - and that too is an issue that I want to
tackle.  At present there is a great focus within our company to bring in
more nationals and I believe that that programme can be expanded to include
disabled.

Regards,

Patrick


	-----Original Message-----
	From:	[log in to unmask] [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
	Sent:	Sunday, November 14, 1999 10:16 PM
	To:	[log in to unmask]
	Subject:	RE: internet house - article in full

	Agree entirely Patrick. We are doing it at the University on our 
	research project but its interesting to know that you have personal 
	experience of it as well through industry.

	We've just put in a small bid for funding to see if we can do some 
	research looking at the issues of teleworking and disability - does 
	it help the disabled individual? Is it an excuse for social 
	exclusion? Don't know the answer to the question - I have some ideas

	obviuosly. 

	Are any of your companies teleworking  employees disabled Patrick?

	Rita


	Date:          Sun, 14 Nov 1999 17:54:35 +0400
	Subject:       RE: internet house - article in full
	From:          "Patrick N. Weston" <[log in to unmask]>
	To:            "[log in to unmask]"
<[log in to unmask]>
	Reply-to:      [log in to unmask]

	This issue is actually quite easily tackled without the need for
logging in.

	If performance parameters are set for an individual over a year and
reviewed
	on a frequent basis, providing that individual meets his/her target
why
	should anyone be concerned too much on the time that they are
working.  We
	do this within our Company and we find that we get more out of
people by
	setting agreed targets and performance standards.

	Regards,

	Patrick


		-----Original Message-----
		From:	[log in to unmask] [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
		Sent:	Sunday, November 14, 1999 5:17 PM
		To:	[log in to unmask]
		Subject:	Re: internet house - article in full

		Rita,

		Yes, I see what you are saying.  How do think the
teleworking can be

		monitored?  Maybe by task log in and out time sheets or just
working
	goals?  

		Of course we do write our weekly logs or journal, as you
know, to
	help show 
		process, which I feel will help me keep a focus.  If I have
not
	written about 
		a task which I was assigned in the log then I can see where
I'm
	falling short 
		whereas without this record I might move on to another task.
The
	logs also 
		help us find our strengths and weaknesses, therefore being
able to
	improve in 
		our weaker areas.

		Your thoughts...

		Judith


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