Supervision within a Virtual Environment Jeffrey Hughes Region

Supervision within a Virtual Environment Jeffrey Hughes, Region Manager Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services

History 2006 – Indiana DFR - plans for privatization 2006 – Indiana VRS – plans VO Concept document imaging, electronic signature, laptop/aircard, reduction of office space October 2008 – Huntingburg burns down June 2009 – Virtual Office Toolkit The rest falls into place…

RTAC Study Indiana VR will develop a listing of supervisor competencies for successfully operating within a virtual environment, implement training of supervisors on these competencies, and ensure the acquisition and retention of these competencies so as to further the agency mission.

Scope of Work Literature Review Verification Measure Training Development and Implementation Service Learning Projects

Literature Review Buy In A supervisor’s attitude and behavior impacts how their staff perceives virtual office. Thus, they must buy in to the idea. Hiring Virtual Workers Supervisors can increase success by selecting workers who are well-suited for virtual work. Thus, they need to understand what skills are needed to work in a virtual environment.

Literature Review - 2 Communication is basic to leadership and management. Thus, with a virtual office environment, the re-evaluation of communication patterns needs to be completed and understood. Trust Because the establishment of trust among virtual workers is harder to build and maintain, supervisors need to focus heavily on actions that build trust.

Literature Review - 3 Identification An important issue for virtual employees is their connectedness to their organization. Thus, supervisors need to help keep their virtual staff feeling engaged in the agency. Knowledge Management When expertise is no longer available down the hall (in the form of a coworker), Supervisors need to capture, store, and manage information in an accessible format.

Literature Review - 4 Technology Communication is crucial to virtual office success. Different technologies facilitate different types of communication. It is up to the Supervisor to know what technology to use and when to use it. Performance Management and Employee Evaluation Traditional supervisors are aware of employee activity because they can see and hear work being done. Thus, supervisors of virtual employees must understand rely upon different cues for office success.

Verification All competencies - Very Important or Essential The top three: ◦ Trust between supervisors and employees ◦ Building communication norms ◦ Identification at the area level Bottom two: ◦ Being able to resolve technical problems ◦ Buy-in

Measurement Buy-In Scale: Commitment to Change (Affective & Normative) Source: Herscovitch & Meyer, 2002 Scale Statistics (1=Strongly Disagree – 5=Strongly Agree): Min: 3. 00 Max: 4. 55 Mean: 3. 51 SD: 0. 49 Reliability (Chronbach’s Alpha): Affective: 0. 893 Normative: 0. 827 Total: 0. 843 Scale Items: Descriptive Statistics Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation I feel a sense of duty to work toward the virtual office. 19 N 3. 00 5. 00 3. 9474 . 5 It would be irresponsible of me to resist the virtual office. 19 2. 00 5. 00 3. 7368 The virtual office serves an important purpose. 18 I believe in the value of the virtual office initiative. 19 I do not think it would be right of me to oppose the introducing the virtual office. (R) The virtual office is not necessary. (R) 5. 00 3. 7778 . 64676 19 19 The virtual office is a good strategy for this organization. 2. 00 5. 00 3. 7368 2. 00 5. 00 3. 5789 . 69248 18 2. 00 5. 00 3. 3889 3. 00 4. 00 3. 5263 . 51299 Things would be better without the virtual office. (R) 19 1. 00 5. 00 3. 2105 . 85498 I would feel guilty about opposing the virtual office. 19 1. 00 5. 00 3. 0000 1. 00000 I would not feel badly about opposing the virtual office. (R) . 80568 . 73349 19 virtual office. I think that management is making a mistake by 3. 00 19 2. 00 5. 00 3. 1579 1. 01739 . 91644. 83421

Measurement – 2 Buy-In Supervisors understand the concept of Virtual Office, support it, and understand their role Hiring Supervisors know desirable qualities of virtual workers, desire to hire based upon these qualities, but do not always have a reliable system to do so.

Measurement – 3 Communication Supervisors know how to communicate in the quantity, quality, and timeliness for their staff, they set clear expectations and are flexible. Trust Supervisors have built and maintained trust with their counselors.

Measurement - 4 Agency Identification with the statewide agency was strong. Identification with their local area office was even stronger. Knowledge Management Best practices for knowledge management and an improved method for storing/accessing knowledge are needed.

Measurement - 5 Technology Supervisors and staff understand how to use existing technology but struggle when issues arise or new technology is introduced. Evaluation Supervisors have good evaluation skills but lack the knowledge of standards for evaluating staff who work ‘virtually. ’

Training Development and Implementation Uh OH!!! Redesign New Methodology ◦ ◦ Monday – Independent Study Sent Wednesday – Reminder Friday – Conversation and Homework Due 8 Weeks!!!

Service Learning Projects Original Idea: Each Supervisor does their own. Implementation: Consolidation ◦ ◦ ◦ Develop system for managing electronic documents Develop communication best practices Develop new standards for counselor evaluation Develop process for identifying service needs Develop baseline for technological ability Re-develop guide to virtual office

Service Learning Projects – 2

Where are we now? Developing training into new supervisor training Still doing SLP’s

Lessons Learned Management changes Competing Priorities Historical Perspectives Sustainability

Contact Info Jeffrey Hughes Region Manager Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services Bureau of Rehabilitation Services Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services Jeffrey. Hughes@fssa. in. gov 317 -502 -3050