????WorldatWork認為，如今經濟形勢不穩定，人們擔心，如果總是不露面，就有可能丟掉飯碗。WorldatWork工作和生活實踐領導人羅斯?斯坦利說：“我們發現，最近的經濟衰退期間，遠程辦公人數也減少了，但導致這個現象出現的更重要原因是人們心態的變化，而不是機構政策的改變。”

????誠然，根據WorldatWork的調查，在減少的遠程工作人數中，略超過半數（54%）的人是因為過去幾年失業率的上升；其余的則是因為員工害怕被解雇，以及雇主增加了獨立承包商的使用等因素。

????該協會建議遠程辦公人員每季度至少造訪總部一次。“必須提供適當的途徑，幫助員工與同事重新建立聯系，”斯坦利說。

????27歲的彼得?萊德對遠程辦公的局限性深有體會。他曾被得克薩斯州的某個網上學校聘用，管理1個銷售團隊，而他自己卻常住猶他州。除了在得克薩斯州度過的最初1周，他主要依靠每季度1次的見面與下屬和其他同事來保持聯系。

????“首次與公司的各色人等打交道就得通過電話并是件容易的事，”萊德回憶說。“我會親自出面，花上1周的時間四處救火，或盡力和人們會面，這樣，我下次給他們打電話時，就與他們多少有了些交情。”

????他的團隊在他的領導下將學校的利潤增加了200%，但他覺得孤立無援，毫無成就感。他說：“我實在找不到歸屬感。”

遠程辦公融合員工人際交往

????金融服務公司CUNA互助組試圖解決如何打造虛擬團隊協作的難題。該公司向儲蓄互助社提供金融服務，大約有70名員工在全國各地從事貸款人開發項目。據產品管理總監特麗?史密斯說，為了讓員工彼此互相認識，團隊使用了網絡攝像頭，并在工余鼓勵小規模群體之間互相交流，分享圣誕節的回憶，交流彼此最喜愛的度假勝地這樣的話題。

????史密斯說：“我們利用每個機會不斷地將我們的團隊聯系起來。如果我們要舉行小組會議，所有人都得打開攝像頭，這樣，就能和他人進行面對面的互動交流。”

????攝像頭技術還能讓發言的人看到其他人的臉，這樣，當她看到疑惑的表情時，就可以停下來，作出解釋。此外，遇到員工添丁加口或生日等活動，該團隊還會向個人贈送曲奇花籃，或者通過攝像頭齊唱唱生日快樂，以此來表示慶賀。

????WorldatWork argues that the uncertain economy has heightened employees' fears that they risk losing their job if they are not seen. "We found that teleworking went down during the most recent economic downturn, more due to a mindset than to an organization's change in policy," says Rose Stanley, work-life practice leader for WorldatWork.

????To be sure, a slight majority (54%) of the decline in remote workers is attributed to a rise in unemployment levels over the past few years, according to WorldatWork's survey; the remainder was attributed to factors such as employees' fear of retribution and increased use of independent contractors by employers.

????The association recommends that employees who work remotely visit their home office at least once a quarter. "You have to put in place ways for that employee to reconnect to their co-workers," Stanley says.

????Peter Wride, 27, understands well the limits of telecommuting. He was hired to manage a sales team for an online school based in Texas -- when he was based in Utah. Aside from an initial week in Texas, he relied on quarterly in-person meetings with his staff and other colleagues.

????"It became hard to deal with different people in the company who I was meeting for the first time over the phone," Wride recalls. "I'd show up in person and spend a week putting out fires or trying to meet people so the next time I had to call them, I had a bit of a relationship with them."

????Under his leadership, his team boosted profits at the school by 200%, but he felt cut off and unfulfilled by the work experience. "I really didn't feel that I was part of the team," he says.

Inserting community into telework: No simple feat

????CUNA Mutual Group is trying to solve the puzzle of how to build virtual teamwork. The company, which provides financial services to credit unions, has about 70 employees across the country working in its lender development program. To help everyone get to know one other, the team uses Web cameras and encourages breakout discussions among smaller groups on topics like a Christmas memory or favorite vacation spot, says Terri Smith, director of product management.

????"We take every opportunity to continue to connect our team. If we're doing a team meeting, we're all on webcams, so you're getting that face-to-face interaction," Smith says.

????The webcam technology also allows a presenter to see people's faces, so she can stop a presentation to address puzzled looks. The group has celebrated life events like a baby shower or birthday by sending the individual a cookie bouquet or having everyone sing happy birthday via webcam.