Maintaining Community in a Maintaining Community in a Virtual WorkplaceVirtual Workplace

Presenters:Presenters: Timothy Keenan, President & Founder, Timothy Keenan, President & Founder, HPTiHPTi Michael Lacey, CEO/President, Digineer Michael Lacey, CEO/President, Digineer Moderator:Moderator: Diane Stoneman, Director of Consulting & Diane Stoneman, Director of Consulting & Training, Training, Winning Workplaces Winning Workplaces

© 2008 Winning Workplaces. May not be reproduced or distributedwithout expressed written permission of Winning Workplaces.

Founded in 2001 by co-owners of Fel-Pro, an auto manufacturer nationally recognized as a leader for progressive workplace practices.

Nonprofit committed to helping small/midsize organizations build healthy, innovative and productive work environments.

Triple bottom line: Business, People, Community.

About Winning WorkplacesAbout Winning Workplaces

Consulting and TrainingOnline Clearinghouse

About Winning WorkplacesAbout Winning Workplaces

Workplace Recognition

Project

Top Small Workplaces Top Small Workplaces CompetitionCompetition

In collaboration with In collaboration with The Wall Street The Wall Street JournalJournal

2007 Winners profiled: 2007 Winners profiled: WSJ.com/EntrepreneurWSJ.com/Entrepreneur

2007 TSW Report @ 2007 TSW Report @ WinningWorkplaces.orgWinningWorkplaces.org

2008 Top Small Workplaces underway2008 Top Small Workplaces underway

Wall Street JournalWall Street Journal announces October announces October 13 13

TSW Conference October 14 & 15TSW Conference October 14 & 15

Alaska Wildland AdventuresBarclay Water ManagementCorporate Ink Cowden Associates Inc.Exactech, Inc.FRCH Design WorldwideGentle Giant Moving Co. Guerra DeBerry Coody HealthwiseNRG Systems, Inc.Phelps County BankPoint B Solutions Group, LLPReflexite CorporationRestek CorporationSummit Aviation

Top Small WorkplacesTop Small Workplaces 20072007 Top Small Workplace Top Small Workplace WinnersWinners

Flexibility: sign of a winning Flexibility: sign of a winning workplaceworkplace

13 out of 15 Top Small Workplaces winners offer flexible work options

Tele-commuting most prevalent arrangement

2007 SHRM study2007 SHRM study

Out of 600 firms, 56% offer some form of tele-commuting; increase from 51% in 2006.

21% of companies let at least some workers telecommute full time; up from 19% in 2006

33% let some employees work from home on part-time basis; up from 26%

48% allow telecommuting on an ad hoc basis

.

Telework Coalition Telework Coalition ReportReport

Main drivers behind the trend

– 1990’s driven by Internet technology– Better workplace balance & job

satisfaction– Business continuity– More recent concern about fuel costs– Significant savings on real estate,

utilities, etc

How do you maintain strong How do you maintain strong communication channels and a communication channels and a

sense of community when sense of community when employees work virtually and employees work virtually and

seldom see one another?seldom see one another?

But – here’s the rubBut – here’s the rub

Today’s agendaToday’s agenda

Two stories of leaders with a virtual Two stories of leaders with a virtual

workforceworkforce

Philosophies and practices Philosophies and practices

Impact on business and workforceImpact on business and workforce

Lessons learnedLessons learned

Questions from audienceQuestions from audience

Featured LeadersFeatured Leaders

Timothy KeenanTimothy KeenanPresident & FounderPresident & FounderHPTiHPTi

Information Technology Information Technology Reston, VAReston, VA

Over 325 employeesOver 325 employees

2006 Best Boss2006 Best Boss

Michael Lacey Michael Lacey CEO/President CEO/President DigineerDigineer

Technology Consulting Plymouth, MN

95 employees

2006 Best Boss

Timothy KeenanPresident & Founder

HPTi

HPTi’s Core ValuesHPTi’s Core Values

Great Team: we work with bright, driven, and creative people

Mutual Respect: we respect each member of the team and the value of their contributions

Career Focus: we invest in our team members’ careers as they invest and grow within the firm

Client Commitment: we make a difference for and through our clients

Integrity: our word is our commitment

“These are our shared values and form the foundation of our firm.”

HPTi’s VisionHPTi’s Vision

What: HPTi is where we build today, the “Knowledge Leaders” of tomorrow.

Why: Build an innovative learning environment where all the IT talent in our industry aspires to be.

How: This environment is characterized by exciting work, learning, leadership, culture and coaching.

What we are aboutWhat we are about

If it protects the safety of this nationor the men and women who wear thecloth of this nation, whether that threat is drugs, terrorists, foreign enemies ormother nature HPTi is at the leadingedge of the systems used to advancethe understanding of those threats.”

…Tim Keenan

HPTi’s BusinessHPTi’s Business

HPTi’s CustomersHPTi’s Customers Air Force Weather Agency

Central Intelligence Agency

National Security Agency

Army Research Laboratory

Dept. of Defense

Air Force Research Laboratory

Naval Research Laboratory

Corps of Engineers

Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration

• Forecast Systems Lab.

• Geophysical Fluid Dynamics

Environmental Protection Ag.

Sandia National Laboratory

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

National Institute of Health

Drug Enforcement Administration

Dept. of Homeland Security

HPTi’s HPTi’s “Team of One”“Team of One”

17 years in Federal Advanced Technology Headquarters in Reston, VA; Offices nation-wide Over 325 Employees $74 Million in est. 2008 Annual Revenues; Profitable every yr in operation Over 90% of business from repeat clients 85% of Personnel have Security Clearances CMMI Level III Certified SPQA Plaque of Excellence Awardee 2006, 2007, 2008 CARE Award Recipient 2007 Featured Top 5 fastest growing firms in PCI 500 Index National Capital Ethics 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

“ HPTi builds the people who build the systems that make America safe.”

What we value mostWhat we value most

Exciting WorkExciting Work

Open CommunicationsOpen Communications

HPTi UniversitHPTi University (Leadership & In house Training)y (Leadership & In house Training)

Employee BenefitsEmployee Benefits

Rewards and RecognitionRewards and Recognition

RecreationRecreation

Community ServiceCommunity Service

HPTi Programs & ActivitiesHPTi Programs & ActivitiesBenefits

– Education (bonuses)Paid CertificatesPaid Ph.D., Masters

– Health, Dental and Eye– Insurance– Profit Sharing 401k– Vacation:15- 20- 25 days– Paid Parking or Metro Pass

Rewards and Recognition– Spot Awards: Star, Pride &

Knowledge Leader Coin of Excellence

– Quarterly: Hero & Customer Appreciation and $25 Lands End

– Annual: Customer Advocacy, Employee of Year, Leadership, Technical, Community Service

– Referral Awards• Any referral $ bonus• 1 ticket in gift program

Celebrations– St. Patrick’s Day (CEO

house)– Annual Awards Black Tie – 1/4 All Hands Meeting – Annual Trade Show– 1/4 Promotion Dinners– Wkly Happy Hours – Win Parties

Recreation– Sponsored sports team

Frizbee, SoccerFootball, SoftballBasketball

– Employee Golf Tourney FallSpringField Sites

– Events• Ball games• Skiing, Hiking• Bus Trip to NYC

Open Communications– Transformation Team– Q&A– Discussion Forum– NewsFlash– Bi-Weekly Gram– Monthly Columns

Leadership Training– Leaders of Tomorrow– Leaders of Today– Senior Leaders Training – Executive Coaching

In-house Training– PM– Proposal Development– Leadership– Friends & Family Mktg– Writing for Understanding– Learning Café

Community Service– Corporate Sponsorships

(30 Youth Teams to date)– Community Service

Committee

HPTi-University HPTi-University Web Portal Education SystemWeb Portal Education System

Lists individual records of all courses- Mandatory: Ethics, Leadership, Harassment

- Career Enhancing: Program Mgt; Proposal Development &

Professional Development

Link to Outlook Calendar to schedule courses & sends reminders

Lay out next steps to promotion and offered courses

Links to HPTi Asset Library (Knowledge Repository) for artifacts from previous classes or classes

Discussion Forum to suggest future topics

Communication ChannelsCommunication Channels

Monthly Newsletter (NewsFlash)

Future looking to podcasting

2nd Life Site

Discussion Forum – anonymous

Q&A Board – post questions & get 48-hr response

Transformation Team – volunteer members from all parts of the firm discuss ideas for improvement

Regular Employee Surveys

Best Places to Work – Four surveys annually

CEO Touch PointsCEO Touch Points

Presidential Lunches

Presidential Bi-Weekly Gram

Monthly CEO article: direction, goals, status, vision

Birthday Message – personalized email from CEO

Anniversary Message

Welcome Message

Comprehensive Orientation

Hoteling: Make people feel welcomeHoteling: Make people feel welcome

• Every employee has two drawer file cabinet on wheels with a handle like rolling luggage.

• Enter HPTi facility, check in with receptionist and she assigns desk and routes phone

• The desk has a docking station, phone and place for cabinet to roll under the desk

The effect: within minutes you are at home with a desk that is yours for the time you

are in facility…You feel welcome!

Streamline ProcessesStreamline Processes

Electronic Timesheets – Unanet product • Manager authorize charging to project and approve time

regardless of physical location

• Time linked to corp. accounting and billing

• Capable of scheduling for 12 months in future

HPTi Finance System (HiFi)• Forecasting System for future work

• Allows input from any physical location

• Forecast 18 months in future and links to timesheet system for single point of data entry

Recognition and DevelopmentRecognition and Development

Promotions• Promotions hosted at a dinner at Morton’s Steakhouse near

Corporate Headquarters

• For employees outside Wash D.C. we either fly you down for the ceremony or take the CEO and your VP to you

Quarterly Coaching Sessions• Regardless of physical location a HPTi employee has at a

minimum four career counseling sessions a year

• No performance review discussions allowed

• Allows a minimum of four management touch points to employees geographically remote, at customer site or both.

Our Bottom lineOur Bottom line

Working with virtual and geographically dispersed personnel to enable an engaged workforce is why you became a manager in the first place so don’t look at it as a problem or issue but a wonderful and fun challenge…a puzzle to

solve.

Focus on the EssentialsFocus on the Essentials

LISTEN!!!LISTEN!!!

– Employees tell you what makes them feel like 2nd class citizensEmployees tell you what makes them feel like 2nd class citizens– Act on “low hanging fruit” Act on “low hanging fruit” – The act of hearing & taking action= medicinal effectThe act of hearing & taking action= medicinal effect

Be InquisitiveBe Inquisitive

– Forums like Winning Workplaces, Webinars, Read Forums like Winning Workplaces, Webinars, Read

– Ideas have half livesIdeas have half lives…stay inquisitive…stay inquisitive Be ShamelessBe Shameless

– Seek ideas that have worked for others and then be shameless andSeek ideas that have worked for others and then be shameless and borrow them rapidly borrow them rapidly

Remember the EssentialsRemember the Essentials

Be RelentlessBe Relentless - - Try a mix of things until mix works for your cultureTry a mix of things until mix works for your culture and Keep Listening and Keep Listening

Be CreativeBe Creative- People like to know that you thought of them and their issues, People like to know that you thought of them and their issues, esp. remote employeesesp. remote employees- Put different things in place for employees in different places: - Put different things in place for employees in different places: Wisconsin (fishing contest) vs. Florida (Golf Tourney) Wisconsin (fishing contest) vs. Florida (Golf Tourney)

DecideDecide

Michael Lacey CEO/President, Digineer

AboutAbout DigineerDigineer

Digineer helps companies improve their Digineer helps companies improve their performance:performance:

Management Consulting (Technology& Management Consulting (Technology& Outsourcing)Outsourcing)

We bring value from to clients from We bring value from to clients from - Quick diagnosis & remediation : Maturity - Quick diagnosis & remediation : Maturity ModelsModels- Speed of adoption : QuickStart - Speed of adoption : QuickStart FrameworksFrameworks- Best Practice Expertise: Centers of - Best Practice Expertise: Centers of ExcellenceExcellence- Leading edge technology : Microsoft - Leading edge technology : Microsoft partnershippartnership

Over 10 years continual growth and Over 10 years continual growth and profitabilityprofitability

Typical Digineer CustomersTypical Digineer Customers

HealthcareUnited Health, Blue Cross, May Clinic, Starkey

FinancialAllianz, Benfield, Wells Fargo, Thrivent, US Bank

Manufacturing Cargill, Taylor Corp., CH Robinson, St. Jude Medical

RetailSupervalu, Best Buy, Carlson

Technical ExpertiseTechnical Expertise

Innovative ManagementInnovative Management

Sales and Service Excellence

Sales and Service Excellence

GrowthGrowth

.Net Developers JournalJuly 2006Aug. 2006

SQL Server 2005 WhitepaperFeb. 2007

SQL Server 2005 Integration Services Training Program

.Net Developers JournalJuly 2006Aug. 2006

SQL Server 2005 WhitepaperFeb. 2007

SQL Server 2005 Integration Services Training Program

2006 Best BossesFortune / Winning Workplaces

Star Tribune

St. Paul Pioneer Press

Sales & Service Excellence

Inc. Magazine

2006 Best BossesFortune / Winning Workplaces

Star Tribune

St. Paul Pioneer Press

Sales & Service Excellence

Inc. Magazine

Microsoft US Central Region Partner Excellence Q3 FY06

Microsoft Partner Briefing Compete Award2007

Microsoft NC District Marketing ExcellenceFY04 Q2

Microsoft US Central Region Partner Excellence Q3 FY06

Microsoft Partner Briefing Compete Award2007

Microsoft NC District Marketing ExcellenceFY04 Q2

Twin Cities Business Journal Fast 502005 - #4 2006 - #72007 - #14

Inc. 500 / 50002005 - #4382006 - #2222007 - #692*

Upsize Magazine 2006 Business Builder of the Year

Twin Cities Business Journal Fast 502005 - #4 2006 - #72007 - #14

Inc. 500 / 50002005 - #4382006 - #2222007 - #692*

Upsize Magazine 2006 Business Builder of the Year

Recognized for Best PracticesRecognized for Best Practices

Shared ValuesShared ValuesShared ExperiencesShared Experiences

CommunicationCommunicationEngagementEngagementCreate TrustCreate Trust

Celebrate DifferencesCelebrate Differences

Creating a Virtual CommunityCreating a Virtual Community

Leadership: We will lead the way for others.

Integrity: We walk the talk.

Fun: We will create an environment that brings out the best in others.

Financial Success: We will provide others with the means to achieve their goals.

Teamwork: No one of us is smarter than the rest of us.

Shared ValuesShared Values

Shared ValuesShared Values

Hire people who share your values

Embed values into decision making

Reinforce them, but don’t trivialize Consulting 101

Quarterly Company Meetings

Performance Reviews

Shared Experiences

Create compelling experiences for team

Competition

Teamwork

Creativity

Celebrate success and learn from failures

YouTube – search for Digineer

Be intentional with CommunicationBe intentional with Communication

Good communication:- Timely- Concise- With Context

Listen!

Vary Communication - Brown bag lunches - Newsletters, etc.

Focus on Engagement Focus on Engagement

Give up control to build engagement and accountability.

Company Performance Team

Employee Experience Team

Customer Experience Team

Ohana

Digi-U

Create a Trusting Work EnvironmentCreate a Trusting Work Environment

Follow-through

Consistency

Honesty

Transparency

Celebrate DifferencesCelebrate Differences

Help people feel like they belong

- Model inclusive behavior

- Educate on differences

- Pro2, Lominger

Questions?Questions?

www.digineer.comwww.digineer.com

www.hpti.comwww.hpti.com

Sign up now for Upcoming WebinarsSign up now for Upcoming Webinars

Oct 28 Open Book Management - NOT Just About Financial Oct 28 Open Book Management - NOT Just About Financial Transparency Transparency Rich Armstrong, President, Rich Armstrong, President, The Great Game of The Great Game of BusinessBusiness

Nov 12 Exemplary Practices of 2008 Top Small Workplace Nov 12 Exemplary Practices of 2008 Top Small Workplace WinnersWinners

Diane Stoneman, Director of Consulting and Training, &Diane Stoneman, Director of Consulting and Training, & Mary Corbitt Clark, Executive Director, Mary Corbitt Clark, Executive Director, Winning WorkplacesWinning Workplaces

Dec 10 Maintaining a Stable Workplace in an Unstable EconomyDec 10 Maintaining a Stable Workplace in an Unstable Economy Bill Brett, CEO, Bill Brett, CEO, Barclay Water ManagementBarclay Water Management

Thank You!Thank You!

www.winningworkplaces.orgwww.winningworkplaces.org