Wednesday, May 27, 2020

There's a new tension in town ....


There's a new tension in town .... Remote v Local
  • 30M+ Americans have jobs and are working from home (the Remotes)
  • 60M+ Americans can't work from home (the Locals), and 50% of them may not have jobs
If that's not enough to amp the tension between the haves and have-nots, then consider the risk management regime of each:
  • The Remotes have a much lower risk environment from Covid-19, but also from every other hazard, not least of which is simply driving to work
  • The Remotes have a good deal of personal control over their environment, and personal control over how they manage the risk .... who to see and when and where
 And then there is the disparity between the cost-of-work borne personally by each:
  • The Remotes personal "cost-of-work" is much lower (parking, gas, clothes, lunch are all less .... in some cases much less) but their compensation is usually the same as before:
  • The Locals continue paying the higher work costs, usually also working for a lower compensation because, generally, Local jobs pay less
Managing these tensions may be a new task in the PM's job jar, and may be a management task well beyond the PM's reach and authority, but nonetheless this tension will invade the project, effecting productivity and relationships.

And, what's going to happen when the Remotes abandon their nirvana and rejoin the Locals who have all along borne the risks and costs? How is that going to work?

Good luck with all that!



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