By Akilah Massey, Exponent Philanthropy

Exponent Philanthropy’s main office is in Washington, DC, but Membership Manager Linda Zimmerman works from her home in Vermont and has for more than a decade. A handful of other staff members also work remotely.

We know that many funders are working this way too.

• Family members have moved away, and the board is working in several cities.
• A small foundation’s sole staff person works from her home office.
• A philanthropic couple is busy with grantmaking to nonprofit leaders across the world.
• An employee comes into the office three days a week but spends the other two working from home.

After all, telecommuting has grown almost 80% since 2005. Better networking technology, social networking services, videoconferencing solutions, and cloud computing mean it’s easier than ever before to work remotely. I think it’s safe to say that working remotely is a new normal. 

With that, we’ll all have to figure out ways to make it work for us. I don’t have the answers, but I do have ideas that remote workers or telecommuters – and those who work with them – can consider.

• Set clear expectations. Not every item on your to-do list has a deadline, but what’s an appropriate response time to a phone call or email? Agreeing on clear goals and ground rules can take pressure off on both sides.

• Decide how to meet. How will you meet with people who aren’t nearby? If there’s a time difference, will someone have to adjust his or her working hours to make regular meeting hours? When will it be necessary to meet in-person, and when will videoconferencing get the job done?

• Where’s the proverbial water cooler? Do those who aren’t physically close feel connected and in the loop? When quick decisions are made, are they getting the chance to weigh in? Another consideration: It’s not as easy to drop by, so consider how that sort of unplanned, rapid sharing will happen.

Avoid the potential loneliness of working remotely

Whether you’ve been working at home full time for years or are just starting the process, take the time to do it well – ensuring that those who are physically far away stay plugged in.

Senior Program Manager Akilah Massey focuses her energy on planning educational programs—including the 990-PF Tax Seminar and our new Live Q&A chats—and dedicates a portion of her time to managing Exponent Philanthropy’s resources on technology tools and networks that can help members work more efficiently and effectively. Follow Akilah on Twitter @akilahmassey.