Why It Works
- Increase effectiveness & team cohesion
- Opportunity to talk face to face
- Ideas can be shared more easily and freely
- Get to know and understand the personality behind the name
- Creates opportunities to share interests or an event/activity
- Relaxed atmosphere to share and learn in
Why It Doesn't Work
- Clash of personalities
- Stressful atmosphere
- People are reluctant to share ideas
- Interests are too divergent
- Due to previous communications misunderstandings may exist which prevent people from allowing themselves to get to know another person
Where it Stands
Whenever possible and without undue expense it is very important for Supervisors/Managers of telecommuters to try and arrange for the telecommuters to meet with each other. This is especially true when the telecommuters have never met. You may not be able to guarantee that everyone will become lifelong friends but you may have provided the basis for strong working relationships.