Posted by Lisa Hochgraf
I've been telecommuting for CUES so long (since 2001), it seems second nature. And yet two articles I've had a hand in recently have reminded me that telecommuting is not yet ubiquitous, despite some obvious perks.
The first article, "Remote Patrol," is in the September issue of Associations Now, published by ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership. Both CUES SVP/Chief Operating Officer Barb Kachelski and I are quoted in the article but, more importantly, the article talks about how to gain maximum return from telecommuting (likely seen in employee retention). It also touches on the idea that telecommuting is an increasingly important part of disaster planning. I have to express my deep gratitude for the article's author, Keith Skillman, CAE, for his superb handling of this editor as interviewee--I'm used to asking the questions not answering them!
But lest you say that telecommuting is easy for an editor, not so easy for someone in member service, be sure to check out the second article, "Q&A: Granting Loans From Home," which just ran on CUES Tech Port this week. In it, Grant Woldum, EVP/chief information officer at $1.8 billion Tinker Federal Credit Union, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., talks about the CU's 14 member service reps and four loan agents who serve members while working from home. Woldum talks about the technology the CU is using to support this initiative, and also about the results: The CU is able to serve members during more "open" hours, and the employees "LOVE it." CUES members can access the article with their members-only passwords; if you want to see it, e-mail me and I'll send you the manuscript.
Do you have a successful telecommuting program at your CU? Please comment about it.
