At a Distance: The Acme Case Of Working Remotely

Dear Brian Bakes, 

I have received the complaints. The customer has expressed various concerns regarding working with my team. Most of my team work from home. Acme’s project manager insists that my team has a problem with working remotely. Some of the team members have had to postpone critical meetings because of technical difficulties. In some occasions, some of the team members have left conference calls early without proper excuses while others never showed up at all. Acme places a priority in innovating new products (Acme Widget Co., 2014). I acknowledge that my team has caused various problems due to working remotely. Currently, we are working on four solutions. The options include purchasing better conferencing software for the team, hiring tech support to assist the team, enrolling the team members in training programs, while the last option is doing nothing. I will evaluate the options and give you a feedback. 

Senior Operations Manager, 

Spokes of Hope Worldwide. 

Analysis of Worker Satisfaction Survey 

After evaluating the findings of the worker satisfaction survey, the outcomes were: The number of workers who knew each other's names was average. Few employees felt that they could access support when they need it. Most of the workers knew the team members' names. Furthermore, the return on calls was poor. Also, most employees preferred working from home and few employees preferred working in person ( Worker Satisfaction Survey, 2014) . Most workers believed that they had sufficient tools and that their schedules were flexible. Most of the workers felt that the team listens to them, treats them well, and met regularly. Also, most of the employees felt that Spokes of Hope offered various opportunities to develop their skills. However, more than half of the employees believed that the particular skills they wanted to develop are not offered by the organization. 

Nevertheless, most workers noted that the HR answered all their questions and was helpful and friendly to employees. Additionally, they insisted that the manager maintained a positive outlook and understood most of their strengths. Also, about half of the employees felt that the manager gave them autonomy and checked in with workers regularly. However, although most employees were comfortable with technology, a significant number were not comfortable because they felt that it interfered with their work ( Worker Satisfaction Survey, 2014) . Also, most workers felt that their deadlines were not straightforward and clear. Most meetings did not overlap. Most employees were informed of the organization’s events and shared the information with team members. 

A closer analysis of the responses revealed other findings. Working from home allowed employees, especially parents, to have better flexibility when working and spending time with children. Also, most workers found it challenging to communicate with other people when they are facing challenges or difficulties. It also revealed that they did not have proper and dedicated technology support. Furthermore, technology did not only interrupt but also postponed critical meetings. Most of the information regarding team progress or current projects was mainly conveyed through meeting with managers or by word of mouth ( Worker Satisfaction Survey, 2014) . Due to their dependency on word of mouth, they often heard conflicting information from colleagues. Due to the poor communication channels, they were confused about up-to-date guidelines and procedures. Moreover, most employees found it challenging to access and manage information in the cloud storage and emails. However, regardless of the challenges they were facing at Spokes of Hope, they liked the organization’s mission statement and were confident they were contributing to a good cause. 

Decision Tree 

Figure 1 showing the decision tree. 

Option 1: Buy Better Web Conferencing Software 

Option 2: Hiring Dedicated Tech Support Employees 

Option 3: Enrolling team members in a Tech Training Program 

Option 4: Do Nothing 

Table 1 showing the decisions and their expected outcomes. 

Decision	Expected Value
Option 1	(0.7 x 224000)+(0.2 x 220000)+ (0.1 x 216000) = $222,400 – $1000 = $221400
Option 2	(0.9 x 240000) + (0.1 x 225000) = $238,500 - $33000 = $205500
Option 3	(0.65 x 240000) + (0.35 x 215000) = $231250 - $4000 = $227250
Option 4	1 x 215000 = $215000 – 0 = $215000

According to table 1, the best decision that would bring maximum value to the Spokes of Hope would be enrolling team members into a tech training program. The major challenges according to the worker satisfaction survey revolved around the use of technology. Most workers found it challenging to communicate with other people when they are facing challenges or difficulties. It also revealed that they did not have proper and dedicated technology support. Moreover, most employees found it challenging to access and manage information in the cloud storage and emails ( Worker Satisfaction Survey, 2014) . Therefore, enrolling team members into a tech training program is the best decision to address the challenges of working remotely in Spokes of Hope ( Ayoko, Konrad, & Boyle, 2012) . 

Cause and Effect Analysis 

Figure 2 showing the cause and effect analysis diagram 

According to the cause and effect diagram, the main factor causing the ineffectiveness of working remotely is the lack of a dedicated technology support and proper training. Therefore, employees felt that they could not access support when they need it especially when they are having conference calls. Ultimately, they were forced to postpone, leave early, or not show up for the conference calls. Due to the lack of adequate training and skills regarding web conferencing software, the team members were stranded and since some of them did not know their team member's names, they could not communicate effectively during conference calls. According to a critical analysis of the worker satisfaction survey, the process of acquiring and implementing the web conferencing software did not involve proper training ( Worker Satisfaction Survey, 2014) . Hence it will be essential to enroll team members into a tech training program 

Also, managing virtual teams requires good leadership and communication skills (Goetsch & Davis, 2014). The tea should be trained to not only use the web conference software but also working independently. Furthermore, the leadership should check in with the team often to ensure they achieve their goals. Most workers felt that their deadlines were not straightforward and clear. Hence, the manager should set realistic deadlines so that employees can align their individual goals with team goals ( Reiche, 2013) . Additionally, the team should have roles within the conference calls so that it can improve their participation and improve productivity of the entire team ( Ferrazi, 2014) . Prior to having a conference call with Acme, the team should be having a team meeting to evaluate their progress to achieve short-term wins that will assist them to develop into a more productive team. 

Moreover, the manager should encourage open dialogue so that the team can offer innovative ideas and provide solutions to various challenges ( Morgeson, DeRue, & Karam, 2010) . Due to the team’s dependency on word of mouth, they often heard conflicting information from colleagues. However, having open dialogue will ensure all team members receive accurate information. It will also allow them to have positive criticism ( Ferrazi, 2014) . Furthermore, the manager should ensure that they clarify guidelines and goals. It is significant to establish a common vision or purpose. Regardless of their individual ambitions and needs, the team should be aware of the benefits of proper teamwork. Establishing guidelines will improve trust in the team and reduce uncertainty while boosting productivity ( Dwyer, 2008) . Guidelines also ensure that all the team members are prepared for the conference calls so that they do not try to multitask during the call because it would minimize concentration and productivity (Katzenbach & Smith, 2015). At times, the manager can switch to video to eliminate multitasking. 

Six Step Decision Making Model 

State the Problem	Acme’s Project Manager raised concerns about my team. Some of the team members have had to postpone critical meetings because of technical difficulties. In some occasions, some of the team members have left conference calls early without proper excuses while others never showed up at all.
State the Objective	To find effective ways of working remotely.
Come up with Alternatives	Employee Training  Offering dedicated Technology Support  Buying a better web conference software  Doing Nothing
Evaluate Alternatives	Employee training will minimize the number of technical difficulties and improve the team’s digital literacy.  Hiring a dedicated tech support staff will ensure the team receives support when necessary.  Purchasing better web conference software will minimize the number of delayed, postponed, and canceled meetings.  Doing nothing will only increase the problem.
Estimate the risk	The training may be ineffective.  Hiring a dedicated tech support staff may be costly in the long term and they may hire an inexperienced employee ( Lunenburg, 2010 )  There is a risk that the new web conference software will be incompatible.  Doing nothing may cause the organization to lose a client ( Myers & Sadaghiani, 2010) .
Pick an Option	The best option would be enrolling employees in a tech training program.

Dear Brian Bakes, 

The concerns that were raised by Acme's project manager were: Some of the team members have had to postpone critical meetings because of technical difficulties. In some occasions, some of the team members have left conference calls early without proper excuses while others never showed up at all. After evaluating the issue using the decision tree diagram and the cause and effect diagram, the best solution would be enrolling the employees in a tech training program while the root cause of the problem was lack of training and proper tech support. Implementing the solution will ensure the team minimizes the number of canceled or delayed conference calls. Moreover, it will improve the organization's productivity while achieving Spokes of Hope strategic goals. 

Senior Operations Manager, 

Spokes of Hope Worldwide. 

References 

Acme Widget Co. (2014). Acme Widget Company Business Review. http://cfaresources.s3.amazonaws.com/BA%20Communications/Represent%20an%20Organization/Business%20Overview.pdf 

Ayoko, O. B., Konrad, A. M., & Boyle, M. V. (2012). Online work: Managing conflict and emotions for performance in virtual teams. European Management Journal , 30 (2), 156-174. 

Dwyer, K.(2008). How to Manage Teams in Virtual Locations. MoneyWatch. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-to-manage-employees-in-remote-locations/ 

Ferrazi, K. (2014). Getting Virtual Teams Right . Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2014/12/getting-virtual-teams-right 

Goetsch, D. L., & Davis, S. B. (2014). Quality management for organizational excellence . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. 

Hwang, C. L., & Masud, A. S. M. (2012). Multiple objective decision making—methods and applications: a state-of-the-art survey (Vol. 164). Springer Science & Business Media. 

Katzenbach, J. R., & Smith, D. K. (2015). The wisdom of teams: Creating the high-performance organization . Harvard Business Review Press. 

Lunenburg, F. C. (2010, September). THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS. In National Forum of Educational Administration & Supervision Journal (Vol. 27, No. 4). 

Morgeson, F. P., DeRue, D. S., & Karam, E. P. (2010). Leadership in teams: A functional approach to understanding leadership structures and processes. Journal of management , 36 (1), 5-39. 

Myers, K. K., & Sadaghiani, K. (2010). Millennials in the workplace: A communication perspective on millennials’ organizational relationships and performance. Journal of Business and Psychology , 25 (2), 225-238. 

Reiche, S. (2013). Managing Virtual Team Tips. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/iese/2013/06/20/managing-virtual-teams-ten-tips/#1b255f42198b 

Worker Satisfaction Survey. (2014). Southern New Hampshire University. http://cfaresources.s3.amazonaws.com/BA%20Communications/Manage%20a%20Business%20Organization/Worker%20Satisfaction%20Survey.pdf