Laptops. Netbooks. iPhones. Blackberrys. Smart Phones. Mobile Devices. WiFi. Broadband. 3G. 4G. Mobile Broadband. The list of technological advances of the past 10 years is mind-boggling. It also means most office workers are connected to their jobs 24/7. The efficiencies we’ve gained IN the office mean we have more work to do OUT of the office. It may be one of the hidden reasons why worker productivity continues to rise while employee counts drop.
As more and more of us work from home on our days “off” and telecommuting becomes more popular, it’s interesting to note that not being seen in the office can have a detrimental effect on your career.
According to a recent article in the Sacramento Business Journal, the University of California Davis conducted the first-ever academic study of “passive” face time – when workers are seen in the office without any interaction. They found that bosses think more favorably of employees who are present.
“Merely being seen – often from a distance and without any interaction or real understanding of what a person is doing – that in itself has value,” Professor Kimberly Elsbach says. “People notice.”
Workers who telecommute or have flexible hours often focus on quick and constant communication via phone or text messages. Others send e-mail late at night to show their dedication. But if you’re a telecommuter it pays to periodically come into the office–to see and to be seen because researchers have also found that face time has a direct, and sometimes unconscious, effect on how managers view employees.
Career mobility still hinges on working hard, working smart and reviewing accomplishments with superiors. But even with all new technologies swirling around us, it seems that in 2010 good old face time still carries much weight when being evaluated in the workplace.
