The OFFICE™
Dear Paul,
We have received valuable feedback from Knight-Ridder telecommuter Leigh L. We believe she’s made some excellent observations. Her comments mirror those of similar telecommuting case-studies. The knowledge generated from these field-tests is considered to be of critical importance to directors of telecommuting programs nationwide.
The OFFICE™ model Leigh was requested to evaluate for Knight-Ridder's telecommuting program is The Manager . This unit is a modestly priced commercial version, designed for employees who use PC’s. The exterior finish ordered was white laminate With clean lines and a "no-frills" finish, this model is designed to be responsive to rough-duty and frequent moves within the facility. The use for which these original models were acquired by Knight-Ridder was for in-house facility functions. The correct model was chosen for that application.
Subsequent to delivery, however, it was determined that Telecommuting was becoming a viable option for a number of Knight-Ridder employees. Once that determination was made, one of the units was selected for further evaluation in a telecommuting field-test by a Knight-Ridder employee .
The model selected for facility use was chosen based on required tasks and specific computer equipment in use by the division in question. This group uses PC’s. The model selected is equipped with the electric MIGA/BIB monitor lift, which allows monitor height adjustment for ergonomic viewing comfort. It also permits the user to elevate the monitor to an overhead storage compartment when an unobstructed desk area is required for non-computing tasks.
The individual chosen for the Telecommuting evaluation of this unit, had been provided with a Laptop computer, however, so the MIGA/BIB function, which is literally invaluable to a PC user, holds no particular use for her. She’s cheerfully using the elevated space to store manuals.
Leigh’s job description is 3-ring binder, brochure, and manual intensive. Thus she needs greater than average shelf storage for those materials. She is currently using the under-desk rib shelving for storage of infrequently used manuals. She would appreciate additional overhead storage. She welcomes the ability to close and lock her OFFICE™, concealing the work-a-day clutter, and, like most telecommuters, greatly enjoys the sound attenuation feature, which blocks the disruptive noise of late-hour business phone-messages and incoming faxes.
Leigh shares her apartment (which is under 1,000SF in size) with a roommate, thus, physical space is at a premium. The 28" x 48" closed footprint of The OFFICE™ Manager model is an excellent space saver in that regard, and the pre-wired, pre-cabled, single 110 volt electrical outlet requirement which eliminates a hodgepodge of cords and cables, is definitely considered an asset.
For typical residential purchases, The OFFICE™ is delivered directly to a customer’s home by well-trained, "white-glove" style delivery crews, who install, demonstrate the unit, and then remove packing debris before leaving. In this instance, however, the original units were delivered to the Knight-Ridder facility for use there.
When the telecommuting evaluation became a reality, one of the units was removed from the Knight-Ridder facility for delivery to Leigh’s apartment. Transport and installation was effected by a local, Knight-Ridder selected delivery group. Leigh described the caliber of the KR delivery-men in less than complimentary terms, remarking that they left dirty handprints "everywhere".
Leigh’s home decor, a source of obvious personal pride, has been carefully furnished in the Southwestern style. The sudden addition of a highly functional, but clearly aesthetically incompatible model of The OFFICE™ (finished in white laminate), strikes a jarring note amidst her warm, Southwestern decor.
Leigh advises she is quite pleased with Knight-Ridder's selection of The OFFICE™. She had three complaints about the telecommuting test/program itself, however, which we felt should be brought to your attention.
Leigh's first complaint is that she was not consulted on the finish selection of an article of furnishing expected to be integrated into her existing home decor.
The second is that she believes the telecommuter should be asked to evaluate which of The OFFICE™ models best suits the job description, computer equipment, and workstyle (In Leigh's case, the correct model will be The Manager-LT ).
Leigh's third area of concern stems from the fact that the company did not provide her with the ergonomic chair which closes up inside The OFFICE™. Actually, she says, she wasn’t provided with any chair at all. Leigh tells us this forces her to drag a chair in from the dining room in the morning, and drag it back out to the table in the evening. Leigh says she needs an ergonomic chair, because she spends long hours at her computer. She prefers to have one which closes up inside The OFFICE™ because she does not wish to disrupt her home decor with a business-appearance task chair.
Leigh’s candid observations hold great value for the coordinator of a Telecommuting program. Obviously, the participant’s satisfaction with the Telecommuting program has an immense bearing on the overall program’s success.
This feedback supports similar file data and suggests that it may be critical for the employee to be involved in some fairly basic decisions. From the Telecommuting manager’s perspective, there’s no-one better than the employee who actually performs the task, to correctly identify which model of The OFFICE™ best suits their task, their work-style, and the computing equipment they have in use.
For example---, in Leigh’s case, the LT version of the compact
Manager model would have been a better choice, based on her Laptop
computer equipment. This model has full overhead storage space with
adjustable shelving for her books and manuals. The Manager-LT
is designed for use by either Laptop or Desktop model computer operators.
What is also of importance, is Leigh's conclusion that all, and not just part of the functional tools, must be furnished to the telecommuting employee in order to achieve optimum performance by that employee. In other words, the employee views it as impractical to furnish The OFFICE™ without also furnishing the companion ergonomic chair for the employee to sit in while performing the assigned task.
Lastly, the issue of home decor compatible finishes, is identified
as critical to employee satisfaction with a telecommuting program.
Leigh will have choices. The Manager and Manager-LT are available
in a wide variety
of woodgrain laminates,
and both the Manager II and the
Manager-LT-II have a high quality,
damage resitant wood-veneer finish. Either the LT or the LT-II will
provide Leigh with the opportunity to select an exterior finish which
will gracefully harmonize with her Southwestern decor.
Leigh was decidedly pleased to learn that once the telecommuting program is implemented she can exchange the unit she is currently using for The Manager LT (Laptop /Desktop model). She can select the woodgrain laminate finish of her choice from among finish selections chosen by Knight-Ridder, and have The OFFICE Manager LT delivered with the ergonomic chair which closes up inside The OFFICE™. The Manager LT with the chair, still falls well within company budget guidelines.
Again, from the Telecommuting program coordinator’s point of view, a happy employee is a productive employee.
As a recap, the evaluation appears to suggest the importance of the following :
During the preliminary process, let the employee help determine which model of The OFFICE™ is best suited to his/her particular job description. Understanding why that particular selection was made may also assist in understanding how to increase similar employee’s productivity.
It may be appropriate to poll participating employees ahead of time to determine the most popular exterior finishes in your part of the country, (regional finish preferences vary), and then select the top three finishes from which the Telecommuting group can make their selection.
Once the Telecommuting coordinator has selected The OFFICE™ as a company-authorized purchase, it may not be unreasonable to provide employees with an option to upgrade or vary The OFFICE™ model selection at their own expense.
Determine delivery access in advance. If the company is taking delivery of The OFFICE™ modules at a central warehouse and providing in-house delivery and installation to the Telecommuters home, ask the employee to specify in-writing ahead of time what type of delivery accesss is available so that the crew knows how to allot their time. Leigh’s apartment turned out to be located on an upper floor in a building without an elevator.
Use trained delivery personnel. According to Leigh, the KR men which delivered The OFFICE™ unit to her home, apparantly thought they were dealing with a standard furnishing, and literally manhandled the unit across the room. In actuality, all they needed to do was insert the keyjack, and with a flick of the wrist, the unit could have been up on wheels, ready to roll. A single person could have rolled it into the desired room, positioned it, and lowered it into place. Transport of telecommuting units to employees homes can be easily accomplished with the use of a carefully selected, polite, two-man crew, (preferably with clean hands), using a delivery truck with automatic lift-gate. We have a short, simple video available for installation crews.