Most Embarrassing Telework Moments

We've all had them - those moments when, suddenly, working in the office looks like it might not be such a bad idea after all.

Kids crying or dogs barking while you're delivering a presentation by conference call from home usually tops the list of anecdotes, but there are countless others. Webcam inadvertently left on so people at the other end see or hear things they shouldn't? Forgot that someone from the office was stopping by to pick up / drop off a package, and therefore neglected to clean up the mess at home / take a shower / put on pants?

In spite of the most mortifying experiences, telework should still be at the core of 21st century workstyles for most white-collar workers. But let's not forget the funny stuff! What's your most embarrassing telework story? We'll collect the best and publish them in a few weeks.

Securing Your Company's Information

We originally developed this guide for healthcare companies to help them secure their networks and critical information, but it applies to virtually every company, because almost everyone has some sort of sensitive data on their computers.

Click here to access our Top 10 Tips for securing your sensitive information, particularly as it applies to networks with remote access requirements.

Five key questions your telework policy should answer

When establishing a telework program for your company, you should strongly consider having a formal telework policy. This written document will outline the program, eliminate gray areas, and help to prevent future disputes. As with any business planning document, it should be considered a "living document" and therefore should be revisited at least once a year.

Your telework policy may contain a wide range of terms and conditions, but should definitely include answers to the following five questions:

1) Which jobs within your company are telework-friendly? Not every job is well suited for remote execution, and some job titles that are easily teleworked in another company may not be in yours. Along the same lines, what types of employees are best suited for telework? Be honest. Elements from previous performance appraisals can provide clues - generally, you're looking for self-starters, those who produce quality work on time and without a huge amount of oversight, and employees who are comfortable working independently.

2) Where can a teleworking employee consider a suitable "alternate work site"? For some people, like computer programmers, a coffee shop may work fine, but for others, like salespeople or customer support reps who are on the phone all the time, a dedicated home office may be required. Again, be honest, and do all you can to get buy-in from the employees so they don't find this decision to be a burden on their productivity.

3) What sort of equipment does a teleworker need, and who's going to pay for it? Does the remote worker need a dedicated laptop, or can they use their personal home PC? Do they need a dedicated phone line, a special phone, or a high-quality headset? Will they be handling company paper and require a fireproof safe or other locking file cabinet? What kind of software will be available to get them to company IT resources (VPN, Remote Desktop, etc)? If answered incorrectly - or worse, ignored - these details can impact efficiency and cause even the best worker to become less productive. With the right environment, that same worker is likely to gain productivity, so pay careful attention to these items.

4) What sort of communication schedule should the teleworker adhere to? Are there daily or weekly team meetings or conference calls already? If so, is there a good way for the teleworker to participate (i.e. conference bridge or WebEx/GoToMeeting)? If you don't have regularly scheduled communication opportunities, perhaps now is the time to implement them. What times of day should the teleworker be available for ad-hoc communication from colleagues, and, just as importantly, what times will colleagues be available for communication from the teleworking employee? Does everyone have email / IM / Twitter / Facebook to allow for comfortable interaction? Communication is perhaps the most subtle, but most critical stumbling block for telework - when we're not all in the same physical location, it takes a little bit of effort and forethought to ensure that teams still cohere, and that the company doesn't lose its sense of shared purpose. By scheduling regular communication opportunities, and establishing a solid calendar of coworker availability, you can achieve purposeful and productive communication rather than the random and often distracting communication at the water cooler.

5) Is telework right for you and your organization? We generally advise against full-time telework all the time. A day or two in the office each week, or at least each month, can be very valuable. Relationship-building, brainstorming, creative thinking, and many other aspects of business life simply work better when conducted in person at least some of the time. Working entirely distant from colleagues can be successful, but it requires such an extreme effort that the benefits are generally outweighed by the cost. For some, it is undoubtedly the right decision - but a decision that should be made with great care. In most cases, research and anecdotal experience points to 3 telework days each week (give or take 1) as the ideal scenario. In-office days can be used for creative, synergistic, team-oriented activities, and work-at-home days can be used for document creation, phone calls, and other more solitary work. When balanced properly, tremendous productivity gains are possible, so think long and hard on this question.

Netbook as Remote Access Device

There's lots of buzz in the market these days about mobile devices - particularly the latest round of iPhone / Palm / Blackberry smart phones. I love my iPhone, but I still can't imagine doing any real work on it. It's amazing for email, getting a map, seeing the weather radar, updating Facebook, and so much more -- but the screen is too small, and the navigation and keyboard too cumbersome, to possibly do substantial work. If I need to work on a Powerpoint, dig into some Excel formulas, or update the content and images on our websites, I simply can't do that from my iPhone. I need a bigger screen, a full-size keyboard, and preferably, a mouse.

That's where a Netbook comes in. Small but not too small, and coming in at only a few hundred dollars, a netbook (also known as UMPC or Ultra-Mobile PC) can be the perfect on-the-go computer for the mobile knowledge worker. Netbooks all have built-in wifi, and many even have built-in cellular broadband coverage (with a plan from Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint, of course), so you're able to be connected all that time.

That connectivity is critical, because you don't want to fall into the trap of loading all your data and software onto the netbook device itself. That'll tax the capabilities of the device, use the battery faster, and increase the damage if the device is lost or stolen.

Instead, you should think of the netbook as a portable terminal to your information. Don't carry the info with you - reach out across the Internet and work with it in its native location. That means using a secure remote desktop solution to log into your main PC back at the office, or a VPN to connect to the office network. Tools like chat, IM, and even Twitter help to keep you in the loop even when you're miles away. Google docs and other online applications provide another way to leverage ubiquitous connectivity without overstepping the bounds of what the netbook can handle.

What are your experiences with netbooks? Any favorite brands or models?

Security Alert Shows Web Remote Access Weaknesses

Remote computer access users beware - several new vulnerabilities have been revealed in existing solutions. One solution, LogMeIn, was noted to have such vulnerabilities with the exploits to take advantage and control your PC without authorization. More info here: http://securethoughts.com/2009/06/multiple-vulnerabilities-in-logmein-web-interface-can-be-used-to-control-your-computer-and-steal-arbitary-files/

This announcement leads to a critical question in today's hyperconnected world: just how secure is the web? The answer, sadly, is "not very secure". With the rapid proliferation of web browsers (IE, Mozilla, Chrome, Opera, Safari, and so on), the arms-race style of releasing new version upgrades before the ink on the last version is even dry, and (relatively) new technologies like PHP, CSS, javascript, and so on, browsers are increasingly vulnerable to attack.

Factor in the ever-targeted SSL / CA infrastructure at the core of browser-based encryption and site authentication, and you've got fertile territory for malicious forces.

So what's the solution? Don't use browser-based interfaces unless you absolutely have to. "Real" desktop software is remarkably portable these days - on USBs directly or via U3 or VMWare Pocket Ace, or via download on broadband that's available anywhere you have cell coverage, or even installed directly on the disk of a lightweight UMPC. These solutions can provide additional security through 2-factor authentication. There's no need to risk your critical information on web-based access tools. If you need to have a more secure solution you might want to look for a GoToMyPC alternative or a LogMeIn alternative.