eWORK 2000 - European Telework Week

New Ways to Work 2000European TeleworkExamples of key projectsRauser Advertainment AGPrototype example of a virtual organisation operating globally and employing freelancers from countriesthroughout the world.The company has specialised in the development of entertainment and advertising products (e.g. computergames, screen savers) for customers coming from a variety of different countries. Networking of distributedteam members in a virtual organisation under the name of Rauser Advertainment is the normal way ofoperation of this company from its very beginnings. The company employs six people under a contract ofemployment. In addition it uses a network of almost 100 freelancers for product development, some of whomare working almost full-time for Rauser Advertainment.Any worker – no matter whether working under a contract of employment for the company or as a freelancer –who has been with Rauser Advertainment for more than two years is entitled to a special package of companyshares. So far two employees and 10 freelancers from Germany, Austria and the US made use of this offer.Those individuals who have worked with Rauser Advertainment on at least two completed projects in the lasttwo years are also entitled to a special benefits package.Tele-cooperation is the normal way of working and communicating, personal contacts are the absoluteexception, communication and the exchange work results is carried out via e-mail and file-transfer. Thegeographical location of the team members, their working times etc. are of no importance, fixed working hoursare a thing of the past. As a result of this two former staff members moved away from Germany (at leasttemporarily) and are now working as freelancers for Rauser Advertainment from their adopted countries,namely Turkey and Florida in the US.Konstruktionsbüro PollozekKonstruktionsbüro Pollozek can be described as an example of “new self-employment”. A few years ago, aformerly employed woman started a new career as a freelancer from her home-base on a farm in a very remotearea without any other job opportunities. Now she runs a rather successful own one-person company whichoccasionally also uses subcontractors for specific tasks and has developed a solid customer base.Roswitha Pollozek is the founder and owner of the company. She was a designer in the Carl Zeiss groupbefore working as a freelance designer, and in this context thoroughly familiarised herself with computer-aideddesign technologies. After her marriage to a farmer living near Ansbach, she initially helped with the farmingbefore deciding to work as a designer again. She now runs her own design office from her home where sheproduces CAD designs for a number of well-known industrial enterprises. The customers are located 6 - 200km away from her office. The farm house has been extended now offering 120 square metres office space,and the annual turnover is now about 100,000 DM (approx. 50,000 €).- 72 -