Does Your Organization's Practices Reflect Its Own Mission?
So imagine my astonishment when talking with this organization to receive such a hostile reaction to the idea of employee telecommuting. The human resources manager sounded as though she couldn't breathe at the thought of such a radical idea, and once she did find her words, said that this organization's HR policy absolutely forbids any such practice. When I suggested that it would be a good idea to modernize that policy, another staffer jumped in, reminding me that doing something so "substantial" as changing a policy takes "a lot of time" and "much reflection."
Huh?
Here's an organization that prides itself on not playing by the rules, and even sometimes asks its volunteers to violate the law in pursuit of its goals. But revise its human resources policies to allow employee telecommuting? Why, that's crazy talk!
Can you imagine what this organization's reaction would be to a similar statement from a corporation or government against which it was protesting? "We may not change this practice you are protesting because it's in our official policies, and it takes a lot of time and much reflection before we can change our official policies." The organization would never stand for such a "defense."
There's another organization you probably would not have heard of, but you would be familiar with its work: trying to address conditions and practices that lead to global climate change. But while this organization is writing guidelines, holding conferences and lobbying corporations and governments, the overwhelming majority of its staff, even those who live less than half a mile from the organization, are driving to work, despite the outstanding mass transit system available in its city. The organization has no policies regarding recycling its own office waste, and there's no emphasis on any energy-saving practices within its offices.
Can you imagine if the press, or a group working counter to this organization, identified these practices and detailed them publicly, and the enormous public relations fallout that would occur?
These are real-life examples of organizations promoting an image that isn't actually reflected in their practices, of organizations not truly "walking their talk." And they aren't alone: there are organizations that encourage corporations to allow their employees to volunteer on company time, while not allowing their own employees to do so; companies holding seminars on innovation and management who have antiquated computer systems that cannot be networked together; and initiatives that tout the importance of local control of local activities, but ignore the feedback of front line staff and impose office practices with no discussion.
Being successful in today's business climate means reflecting in practice the values you promote publicly. Take a look at your organization and ask yourself, "Is what we promote to others being practiced by ourselves?" Survey your staff and volunteers, allowing them to anonymously provide feedback on where they see disconnect in the organization's mission and the organization's own internal practices. Not only will you avoid a public relations nightmare, your own practices will become marketing tools for your organization's mission.
See also:
Mission-Based Groups Need Use the Web to Show Accountability
The number and tone of media stories regarding mission-based organizations/civil society and how they spent contributions in the wake of various disasters have done little to help such organizations better serve people in need. Rather, by concentrating on a few bad cases, or by misrepresenting administrative expenses as somehow unnecessary, they have made potential supporters suspicious of all charities, and those these organization's serve pay the ultimate price. There has never been a better time for mission-based organizations to use technology to show their transparency and credibility, and to teach the media and general public about the resources needed to address critical human and environmental needs.
Telecommuting Advocacy and Resources
This is a list of links to my favorite resources relating to telecommuting and working with remote teams (virtual teams), two things in which I have a great deal of experience. These resources are compiled for various audiences: workers who want to convince management to allow telecommuting, managers who are skeptical of telecommuting, workers and managers about to embark in a telecommuting relationship, and people who want to work with others (whether paid staff or volunteer) in remote locations.
How People In Remote Locations Can Work on the Same Document
The key to sharing documents among people in remote locations isn't your computer technology; it's how your humans save and share information.
The Virtual Volunteering Project
Applying and expanding the principles of telecommuting to support and involve volunteers.
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