Home Working and the University of Bath

www.ukoln.ac.uk

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Home Working and the University of Bath 

Green Impact Talk Series

15th March 2012

Marieke Guy

Research Officer, UKOLN

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Introduction to UKOLN• UKOLN is a research organisation that aims to inform

practice and influence policy in the areas of: – digital libraries, information systems, bibliographic

management, and web technologies. • Located here at the University of Bath• Funded by JISC to advise UK HE and FE communities • Many areas of work including:

– Digital preservation: DCC, research360– Metadata, registry work– Repositories: – Dissemination: Ariadne, International Journal of

Digital Curation– eScience: eCrystals….etc.

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Introduction to Me• Been at UKOLN for almost 12 years!• Now a remote worker

• Now working for the Digital Curation Centre • Previous roles/projects include:

– Chair of the Institutional Web Management Workshop

– Digital Preservation work, OER work– JISC Observatory, good APIs project, JISC-PoWR,

JISC Standards Catalogue– QA Focus, SPP Project Manager, ePrints UK project

manager, Public Library Focus work, NOF-digitise, Web Magazines

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Workshop Resources• All resources (and more) linked with Delicious tag:

http://delicious.com/mariekeguy/remoteworking• All ppts etc will be available from:

– my blog http://remoteworker.wordpress.com/ – slideshare http://www.slideshare.net/MariekeGuy

• Feel free to email me (m.guy@ukoln.ac.uk) or follow me on Twitter (mariekeguy)

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Straw Poll: Where Do You Work?• In the office• From home (occasionally or full-time) – a ‘remote

worker’• Beyond the office

– At different offices – At a client site – As a true nomad or ‘road warrior’

• In a virtual team

Work is becoming something you do, not a place you go to

http://www.flickr.com/photos/latteart/2547757031/

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Changes to the Way we Work• Technological

– Broadband– Virtual Private Networks (VPN)– Mobile technology

• Cultural– Right to request flexible working extended (April

2009) - 4.5m parents eligible– Effects of recession (cutting overheads),

pandemics, environment, weather, etc…– Work-life balance, flexibility– Output driven not physicality driven, productivity

key, loyalty & reduced absenteeism

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Challenges• Cultural

– Blurred boundaries - where does works stop and home begin?

– Reduced interaction time with colleagues and managers

– Connection with the (virtual) team– Morale, perceptions, ownership– Formalising current situations

• Technological– Bandwidth issues, managing VPN– Being supported from a distance, tracking, remote

assistance– Security, cloud computing

www.ukoln.ac.uk

The Oatmeal - http://theoatmeal.com/comics/working_home

APPLYING

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjpacres/3293117576/

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Applying to Work from Home• You need to take the initiative!• Discuss your idea with your line manager• Can your work could be carried out in this way?• Consider options –

– 1 or 2 days at home, 3 or 4 days in office– Formalising what already happens

• Consider reasons – – Moving house– Work/life balance - children– Health/disability– Space issues

• Apply to personnel• Have your contract formally changed (has

implications for expenses, travel etc.)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/a440/512348882/

POLICY

When a boardroom policy is being created it should always keep practical implementation at the front of its mind

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Policies• UOB currently working on flexible working policies• You may need to take the initiative if no policies in

your department• They really should be set up in advance & clear and

transparent• But also flexible• Cover:

– Eligibility, availability, contact procedures, workspace requirements, equipment and usage, expenses, training, ownership, etc.

• Have questions for consideration…• Observe the development of effective patterns of

usage rather than dictate

The ideal solution for most employees who work remotely is for the set-up at home to replicate the set-up in the office

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakesdad/2838195408/

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Getting Set Up• Hardware

– PC, monitor, printer, keyboard, laptop, DVD rewriters, scanners, audio & video equipment, headset, speakers, phone, etc.

• Software– All the programmes they have in the office, and more! – User accounts, remote access to email, calendar etc.

• Broadband and Wireless– Offer options, reviews, support alternatives, VPN (SSL)

• Introduction to the organisation– Overview of systems, servers, Web site and Intranet

• Support– BUCS – Youguru, online FAQs, self-help, online tutorials

http://www.bath.ac.uk/bucs/networking/connectfromhome/

Technology is about connections - connecting people to each other, to ideas, and to possibilities

TECHNOLOGY

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Tools• Communication

– Email, telephony, VOIP (Skype), Online Chat– Social Networking – Facebook, Linkedin, Xing, – Microblogging – Twitter, Yammer, Jaiku, Google+– RSS – Google reader, Net News Wire– Recommendation services, blogs

• Collaboration– Wikis, shared applications (Google docs)– Project management tools– Bookmarking tool (Delicious(?), Connotea)– File transfer (dropbox)– Calendars– E-learning team at Bath/LTEO

http://www.bath.ac.uk/learningandteaching/themes/e-learning/tools

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Virtual Meetings/Conferences• Virtual Meetings

– Video conferencing suite at Bath– Skype– Webinars – Panopto, trialling Adobe Connect &

Blackboard Collaborate • Virtual Conferences

– Attending – Amplifying - video streaming, assigning a tag,

Creative Commons– Sharing available resources: ppts, photos, video,

podcasts

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Mobile Devices• Mobile is “everyware”

• Smartphones, PDAs, Blackberries, laptops• Data is available on mobile devices, apps• Mobile broadband – dongles, 3G• Security issues – both data (encryption?) and actual

devices (locks)• Geolocation, augmented reality – the future is

mobile!• Issues with who owns what…

www.ukoln.ac.uk

UKOLN: A Case Study• RW community, RW champion• Away days, all staff days• Support framework - iterative process• Technology – sharing ideas• Teleconferencing, video streaming

and Skype, weekly chat• Twitter, Vimeo, Slideshare, Flickr• Policies and procedures • Commitment

• JISC project Location Independent Working

• 40 staff• Training and handbook

COMMITMENT

UKOLN remote workers

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Case Study BT• 70,000 + home & nomadic workers empowered• 6,000 part time workers• Over £220m in property costs saved in 10 years• Absenteeism reduced 3.1% (UK ave. 8.5%)• e-learning saves 40% training costs• Home-workers 7% happier, enhanced skills, less

stress• 1,800 tonnes less CO2. 1.2m litres less fuel used.• Transport cost savings £9.7m pa

• From http://www.slideshare.net/jackies/presentation-remote-workforce-v2

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Conclusions• Flexible working practices are on the up• Cloud computing is on the up• Virtual teams are on the up• Technology is important - there is a need to support a

portfolios of Tools• Communication and community are more important!

– Inclusion and support– Shared goals– Constructive feedback– Policies and procedures

• Blurred boundaries doesn’t have to mean lack of clarity

• New areas of interest: online learning, event amplification, openness, virtual teams

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Questions?

www.ukoln.ac.uk

Discussion• What would you need in place to help you work from

home?• What are your concerns about remote working?• How could the UOB and/or BUCs help?• What home working tips can you share?