The document provides eight rules of thumb for managing telecommuters: [1] Double the amount of time spent in formal performance management conversations; [2] Get good at casual communication and chit-chat; [3] Actively encourage questions, comments, and ideas about the business; [4] Make reaching out part of the telecommuter's formal work plan; [5] Provide extensive initial and regular face-to-face orientation and follow-up; [6] Vary teleconference times to match employees' circadian rhythms; [7] Ask to be copied on outgoing email correspondence initially; [8] Avoid making inferences without full information.

1. Managing Telecommuters
Eight Rules For the Analog Thumb
Dr. Kent Glenzer
Associate Professor of
Organizational Behavior
Monterey Institute of
International Studies
Feb 7, 2012

2. Kent’s Peregrinations

3. Eight Rules of Thumb
Not Rocket Science
Not High Theory
Relatively Under-Discussed

4. #1
Double the Amount
of Time You Spend
in Formal
Performance
Management
Conversations

5. #2
Get Good At Chit-
Chat and Casual
Communications

6. #3
Actively Encourage
Questions, Comments, What in the world is
HR thinking?
Ideas About the Larger I can’t believe the
VP made that
Business decision!
What’s happening
in Kenya these What kind of
days? person is Sales
looking for? I might
know somebody
good.
H. Q.

7. #4
Make Reaching Out
Part of the
Telecommuter’s Formal
Work Plan

8. #5
Extensive and Intensive
Initial, Face-to-
Face, Orientation;
Regular F2F Follow-up

9. #6
Vary Telcon Times
Rotating Through
People’s Circadian
“Sweet Spots”

10. #7
Ask to be Copied on
Outgoing Email
Correspondence, for
the First Few Weeks

11. #8
Frank walks by, and I don’t say hello.
Wow, this place is cutthroat!
Two can play at this game….
AVOID Never realized he was that petty.
THIS
Must be that promotion he got.
He must be snubbing me.
Hmm…he didn’t say hello.
Frank just walked by me.

12. Ladder of
Inference
Frank walks by, and I don’t say hello.
Geez this place is cutthroat.
Never realized he was that petty.
Must be that promotion he got.
He must be snubbing me.
Hmm…he didn’t say hello.
Frank just walked by me.
From Peter Senge, The Fifth
Discipline, 1994.

13. Cheers!