Introduction
If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less.
—General Eric Shinseki
With the changing nature of office work as we understand it, I felt it was time to create a book for those who are considering or have already made the move to a nontraditional work space. This might be a coffee shop, a co-working space, or even the beach. I use the umbrella term “Out of Office” throughout the book to encompass these nontraditional spaces and the process of working in them.
In this book, I will be using several terms that apply to the different forms of Out of Office working. I define them in the following way:
Work at home—These are individuals who are working for themselves. They are also referred to as solopreneurs. Although these solo workers are primarily based at home, they may also utilize some of the same locations as others following the Out of Office work style, such as coffee shops, co-working spaces, and so on.
Telecommuter—This individual works remotely from a home-based office for an organization. They share many of the same challenges as the work-at-home individual but have the additional challenges of being part of a larger organization and managing that dynamic.
Workshifter—This is an individual who spends the bulk of their time away from the organization’s offices, but not necessarily at their own home. They make the greatest use of nontraditional work locations such as airports, hotels, coffee shops, co-working spaces, and anywhere they can get an Internet connection, including their car.
Where a section of the book refers to a specific style of Out of Office worker, or at least has more applicability to that work style, I have indicated as much with one of the icons used here.
Who Works Out of Office?
The type of work conducted by these individuals has a common core to it. It is primarily focused around the manipulation of data and information. This leads to them being referred to as information or knowledge workers—a phrase coined by Peter Drucker in 1959 to highlight that the work product of these types of employees is knowledge rather than a traditional tangible output. The types of jobs this encompasses has increased manifold since Peter Drucker coined the term. From lawyers and accountants, which Peter Drucker would have been familiar with, to those who operate online businesses, provide customer service for large organizations, and fulfill various types of marketing roles. As the types of roles have changed, businesses are finding it necessary to change and evolve the nature of what constitutes an office space.
There are many types of workers who do not work in a traditional office and have no need to—mechanics, delivery drivers, and so on. These workers are not included in the scope of this book.
What’s in the Book?
This book contains the result of collecting stories, information, and guidance for people who are considering working from a nontraditional space, either on their own or as part of a larger organization, and for those who are already doing so but want to do it more successfully.
The book is organized in the following way:
• Chapter 1: Why You Shouldn’t Try an Out of Office Experience
This chapter lays out why working in a nontraditional setting might not be the best choice for you. It includes a self-assessment test as a guide to deciding whether this style of working is for you.
• Chapter 2: The Benefits
This chapter explains the ways that working Out of Office can be beneficial to your productivity, to your organization, and to your personal life. It includes contributions from people who are already embracing this type of work style successfully.
• Chapter 3: The Challenges
This chapter provides a look at the challenges faced by those who do not work in a traditional office setting—from ensuring you have enough space in your home, to dealing with the noisy coffee shop or the lack of Wi-Fi in your hotel.
• Chapter 4: Working from Home
This chapter shows how people can and do create effective work spaces in their homes. It covers the things to consider when setting up a work space in your home and how to set boundaries in both the physical and relationship sense to ensure you stay productive and that your personal life doesn’t suffer.
• Chapter 5: Working on the Road
This chapter tackles the challenges presented by working in remote locations, from airports and hotels to airplanes and trains. It also covers the tools that make it easier, the technologies that make it more efficient, and some of the security concerns you need to be aware of.
• Chapter 6: Getting Organized
This chapter explains how those working Out of Office for larger organizations can be integrated with co-workers in a traditional office setting. It also explains how to effectively set working hours that take into account your own needs as well as the needs of clients, partners, and family.
• Chapter 7: Rule Setting
This chapter details how to avoid working 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You’ll learn how to say no to others and still be productive as well as how to set rules but still retain flexibility.
• Chapter 8: Work/Life Integration
This chapter explains why trying to achieve “balance” isn’t working and how to achieve a better state of integration. It details the measures to put in place so you can take time off from your business and not have it collapse. It also explains how being Out of Office doesn’t have to mean you are “out of mind” with co-workers.
• Chapter 9: Time to Go Back to the Office
Is it time for you to go back to the traditional office setting? This chapter covers how to tell and how to make the transition. Is it time to grow your business and hire others? This chapter explains how to work with remote teams that are helping build your business.
• Chapter 10: Tools and Tech to Help
The final chapter in the book presents a collection of handy tools and technology I use or that have been recommended to me by others.
Whether you’re considering the move to an Out of Office work style for yourself or for your employees, this book aims to guide you through the pitfalls, highlight the advantages, and arm you with the information necessary to make an informed decision.
There are definitely challenges to be faced, but there are also many benefits to this new style of working—for both the individual and the organization. Just as society as a whole is evolving and embracing new norms, so is the workplace. Working Out of Office is the next step in the evolution of the office environment.
Where This Book Was Written
I thought it might be fun to share where this book was written, given that I am an Out of Office worker:
• Sixty five percent of the book was written from my home office, which I confess also means the couch in the living room, the balcony, and occasionally from bed.
• Fifteen percent of the book was written in airports, on planes, and in hotel rooms.
• Ten percent of the book was written in coffee shops; this includes those I visited while traveling as well as ones local to me. So, parts of this book have been written in the UK, Italy, and Hong Kong as well as various states within the U.S.
• Five percent was written at conferences during those moments when I had a conversation with someone about the book’s topic and they shared an insight or gave me an idea, and I just knew that I had to write it down. Typically this is where my notebook and pen come in handy.
• Five percent was written while doing other tasks, such as shopping, traveling in the car, or sightseeing. I use voice notes for this type of writing and transcribe them later.
Wherever you find yourself working Out of Office, I hope you are enjoying it as much as I do.
Simon Salt, 2014