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Team-Building

Given that some of your employees will be working at the Telecenter and others will continue to work at the traditional office, take steps to keep your unit intact. The following steps may help you with team-building and team management as your employees telecommute:

1. Hold staff meetings with all your employees.
   
2. Clarify the telecommuting arrangement. Identify the program goals, policies, selection process, milestones, and future plans.
   
3. Allow your employees to raise concerns.
   
4. Identify solutions by inviting the telecommuters to participate in the discussion.
   
5. Develop mechanisms for communicating the telecommuters' schedules and phone numbers on a weekly basis.
   
6. Establish rules for how work will be delegated. Ideally there should be no difference regarding the work load of the telecommuters and the non-telecommuters. The telecommuters should be accessible as before.
   
7. Set aside a non-telecommuting day per week or month to schedule meetings or group events.

During regular staff meetings address any problems that may arise as a result of the telecommuting program. Refer to Exercise #6 on "Problem-Solving" to address any concerns.

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