In a virtual-work experiment, Inc. magazine reported yesterday that its editorial staff will work from home for the entire month of February.
"Everyone knows the workforce is becoming more virtual," Inc.'s Max Chafkin posted to the magazine's blog. "Free online technologies offered by the likes of Skype and Google have made it possible for start-ups to be launched by teams of people who live in different cities or, for that matter, on different continents."
As conventional print media consolidates and otherwise deals with the competitive pressures of the Net, more magazines and newspapers may be expected to experiment with or adopt virtual-work arrangements. Though not without potential disadvantages (isolation, diminished team cohesion, etc.), telework -- in addition to its clear Green benefits -- can significantly cut real estate costs and other overhead and boost productivity as well.
Already, newspapers here and there are reportedly sending staff home to work, joining tens of thousands of freelance writers working on everything from blogs to high-volume content for hirers such as Demand Studios and AOL's new Seed.
We salute Inc. for its innovative initiative, and wish them every success.
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