May 27th, 2022 
In your responses to Alejandra and Syndey post, address the following after reviewing their completed speech outline template and initial post:
- Provide clear, helpful feedback in response to your peer’s requested topics for feedback, using best practices as discussed in course resources.
- Describe at least one element of your peer’s outline that is done very well, and explain why you feel it is well done.
- Did you see citations within the body of their outline with a corresponding reference list?
Alejandra post
Planning
Speech Topic: the benefits of working remote
General Purpose Statement (to inform, persuade, or entertain): to inform people the benefits of working remote
Audience Information: the audience is for anyone working remotely or work in an office that may potentially start working remotely.
Audience Considerations: some considerations may be restrictions from being able to work from home. Possibly not having all the equipment such as, a computer or internet to be able to work at home.
Introduction
Attention Getter: Working remotely has the possibility to help people be more productive
Statement of Credibility: Although working from home sounds like there is a lot of negative aspects to it there as a lot of positives to being remote and not working in an office.
Relevance Statement: Working remotely does not always mean that you must work from home.
Thesis Statement: Although working remote can have disadvantages there are many positives such as being productive, saving money, and there can be less stressful environments.
Body
Main Point One: Working remote can help by being more productive during the day.
Sub-point: By saving a commute to work you can easily wake up and start your workday.
Sub-point: If you choose to stay home while working remotely you have the opportunity to sleep a little extra since there is a cut down on your commute if you need to be logged in at a specific time. Even if you decide to travel to a different location if it is closer then you office the is still a cut down on time to get to the office especially during the morning traffic.
Transition: By working remote there can more of an opportunity to be in a less stressful environment.
Main Point Two: Due to working remotely this can cause less stressful environments.
Sub-point: Sometimes being in the comfort of your own home can calm someones nerves if an office environment cause one to feel anxious.
Sub-point: Due to working remotely this gives the employee a big opportunity to work wherever they feel most comfortable. An example is going to their favorite coffee shop or even going to a park and enjoying the fresh air while working to name a few.
Transition: Being in control of where you decide to work for the day can help save some money.
Main Point Three: Money can be saved while working remotely.
Sub-point: Instead of spending money on gas that money can be saved or used to drive to a different location that is possible closer to home with the ability to work remotely.
Sub-point: Sometimes working in an office fellow employees may always want to go out to eat for lunch and while working remotely especially if choosing to work from home can help with saving money by having the time to make food at home.
Transition: Everyone is always looking for ways to save money and with the proper planning working remotely can help with that.
Conclusion
Statement of Closure:
Recap of Thesis/Main Points: With that being said, while working remotely sounds like a hassle the employee has more freedom of how they want to spend their day which can lead to a happier lifestyle. By planning a work schedule that fits the needs of the employee helps relieve the stressfulness of meeting deadlines while only in the office. Meeting deadlines will always be a little stressful depending on the job but for the most part having the capability to work on the tasks in a chosen environment can always help. Time management is very important but if the employee is not as stressed while working, they may become more productive and should be able to complete tasks a little faster since there is no office pressure. By feeling more productive at work can then lead to a more productive lifestyle because as an individual it helps keep a person motivated to continue being productive.
References
Galanti, T., Guidetti, G., Mazzei, E., Zappal, S., & Toscano, F. (2021). Work from home during the COVID-19 outbreak: the impact on employees remote work productivity, engagement, and stress. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine, 63(7), e426.
Howe, L. C., Whillans, A., & Menges, J. I. (2020). How to (actually) save time when youre working remotely. Harv. Bus. Rev.
Hunter, P. (2019). Remote working in research: An increasing usage of flexible work arrangements can improve productivity and creativity. EMBO reports, 20(1), e47435.
Jalagat, R., & Jalagat, A. (2019). Rationalizing remote working concept and its implications on employee productivity. Global Journal of Advanced Research, 6, 95-100.
Neufeld, D. J., & Fang, Y. (2005). Individual, social and situational determinants of telecommuter productivity. Information & Management, 42(7), 1037-1049.
O’Brien, W., & Aliabadi, F. Y. (2020). Does telecommuting save energy? A critical review of quantitative studies and their research methods. Energy and Buildings, 110298.
Syndey post
Planning
Speech Topic: Remote work in the graphic design industry.
General Purpose Statement: To inform.
Audience Information: The target audience is those working in, or considering a career in, graphic design.
Audience Considerations: For my audience, things to consider include access to internet and required technologies, as well as the prevalence of remote work in their area.
Introduction
Attention Getter: As of 2020, approximately 4.7 million Americans have been working in a remote setting, which equates to a staggering 159% increase over the past 15 years (Shokurova 2021).
Statement of Credibility: It is apparent that in recent years, partially due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, remote work options have made their way into the mainstream.
Relevance Statement: The field of graphic design, like many others, has seen the effects of this trend.
Thesis Statement: Graphic design is yet another field in which working from home is becoming more and more commonplace.
As of 2020, approximately 4.7 million Americans have been working in a remote setting, which equates to a staggering 159% increase over the past 15 years (Shokurova 2021). It is apparent that in recent years, partially due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, remote work options have made their way into the mainstream. The field of graphic design, like many others, has seen the effects of this trend. Graphic design is yet another field in which working from home is becoming more and more commonplace.
Body
Write the body of your speech. Make sure to support all points and sub points with evidence, explanations, and citations and use complete sentences.
Main Point One: Graphic designers have been increasingly involved with remote work opportunities.
Sub-point: As previously stated, remote work is now more popular than ever. With so many Americans turning to remote work opportunities in recent years, it comes to no surprise that graphic designers have followed with this trend. According to Motherworks.com, in the United States, over 275,000 graphic design jobs were available as of 2021. So, the field of graphic design is considerably popular, and it would only make sense for this field to follow suit with others transitioning to remote work.
Sub-point: Likewise, the field of graphic design is well-suited for remote work. Though many graphic designers work with teams, the core job requirements are all obtainable in a work-from-home setting; one simply needs reliable internet access, a computer, and design tools such as Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator. If a designer has access to the aforementioned requirements, remote opportunities will allow them to connect with companies across the globe and increase the potential employment pool.
Transition: Aside from the easy transition, remote work opportunities can provide a variety of benefits to graphic designers.
Main Point Two: Remote work opportunities benefit the designer as well as the employer.
Sub-point: Those working from home generally have higher rates of job satisfaction. Surveys have shown that the employee retention rate for remote designers is 25% higher than the retention rate for in-office workers (Hopdesigner.com, 2020). So, with remote work, the employees feel more fulfilled in their careers, and the employers can worry less about retention. Additionally, working from home can help decrease an individuals stress, allow them to spend more time with friends and family, and cut down on costs for commuting (Sorrentino). Each of these factors can, in turn, increase the productivity of employees.
Sub-point: Remote work opportunities have been shown to increase employee productivity. According to the article from Hopdesigner.com, the time the average person spends commuting to and from work equates to approximately 9 days each year. Though this might not seem like a large number, when accounting for multiple employees, as well as employees with longer commutes, it can add up rather quickly. By working from home, this loss of productivity is prevented. Likewise, working from home will allow a designer to complete their tasks at their own pace and on their own, allowing them to set aside time and a quiet space in which they can work efficiently.
Transition: Though there are setbacks when it comes to remote work, they are not difficult to mitigate.
Main Point Three: Working with a remote team will inevitably cause challenges along the way, but it is easy to find solutions to these problems.
Sub-point: One of the main concerns that is voiced in the realm of remote work is difficulty communicating. Being that the employees are not working in the same place, calling together a meeting with short notice is quite difficult. However, proper planning will keep employees connected. If the employer appoints a certain time each day or week for meetings over a video call service, such as Zoom, the employees will be able to plan ahead and stay connected with their peers. Some employers may still organize the occasional in-person meeting, as well, which can also ensure proper communication will happen (Shokurova 2021).
Sub-point: Another common concern in remote work is potential distractions from working at home. As explained in the article from Motherworks.com, remote work opportunities can be ideal for stay-at-home parents, but that does not mean that the worker will be free of distraction. Pets, family members, and simply being in the comfort of your own home can all provide distractions to a remote worker. Because of this, it is crucial for remote workers to create a quiet space in which they can work distraction-free. Additionally, employers have the ability to use productivity trackers, which can further the incentive for employees to work efficiently (Shokurova 2021).
Transition: Though it is probable that issues can arise when working from home, remote work will continue to grow in popularity.
Conclusion
Statement of Closure: Remote working positions have become increasingly popular in the graphic design field.
Recap of Thesis/Main Points: With work-from-home opportunities becoming more and more commonplace for graphic designers, it is important to consider the implications of such a system. Prospective employees should understand the accessibility of this type of work, and employers should consider how this could impact their business practices. Remote work offers many benefits to both employees and employers, and, even though challenges are unavoidable, there are simple ways to prevent these setbacks from hindering the productivity of the team.
[Based on your notes above, write the conclusion for your speech using complete sentences.]
Remote working positions have become increasingly popular in the graphic design field. With work-from-home opportunities becoming more and more commonplace for graphic designers, it is important to consider the implications of such a system. Prospective employees should understand the accessibility of this type of work, and employers should consider how this could impact their business practices. Remote work offers many benefits to both employees and employers, and, even though challenges are unavoidable, there are simple ways to prevent these setbacks from hindering the productivity of the team. It will come to no surprise if graphic design continues to be a field heavily involved in remote work in years to come.
References
HopDesigner.com. (2020, September 16). Why graphic design is going remote. Leverage. Retrieved May 8, 2022, from https://hopdesigner.com/index.php?q=post&id=4&title=why_graphic_design_is_going_remote
Maurer, M., Bach, N., & Oertel, S. (2022). Forced to go virtual. Working-from-home arrangements and their effect on team communication during COVID-19 lockdown. GERMAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT-ZEITSCHRIFT FUR PERSONALFORSCHUNG. https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1177/23970022221083698
Remote Graphic Design Jobs: The Complete Guide for Creatives. MotherWorks. (n.d.). Retrieved May 15, 2022, from https://motherworks.com/blog/remote-graphic-design-jobs-the-complete-guide-for-creatives/
Shokurova, Kate. (2021, September 7). Remote work in design: Problems and solutions. Medium. Retrieved May 15, 2022, from https://uxplanet.org/remote-work-in-design-problems-and-solutions-cd021c51e65?gi=4a5fca20e1f9
Sorrentino, J. (n.d.). Can graphic designers work from home? RSS. Retrieved May 8, 2022, from https://www.wellfedpodcast.com/article/can-graphic-designers-work-from-home
Team, Z. R. M. R. (n.d.). Remote graphic designer: What is it? and how to become one? ZipRecruiter. Retrieved May 8, 2022, from https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Career/Remote-Graphic-Designer/What-Is-How-to-Become
Turner, G., & Schober, M. F. (2007). Feedback on Collaborative Skills in Remote Studio Design. 2007 40th Annual Hawaii International Conference on
System Sciences (HICSS07), System Sciences, 2007. HICSS 2007. 40th Annual Hawaii International Conference On, 44. https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1109/HICSS.2007.228
RESPOND TO THE NEXT TWO STUDENT POST AND BE CONSTRUCTIVE AND PROFESSIONAL WITH RESPONSES.
Sami post
I would have to say that interacting with employees outside of work can be both appropriate and inappropriate. Personally speaking from experience I have worked as a manager with friends from outside of work in which they have attempted to use excuses to get out of consequences for misconduct, in a sense where they would refer back to the “But I’m your friend” response. Which is true, however I feel that if you don’t set firm boundaries and expectations you receive this type of response, I as a member of management have a job to do regardless of our PERSONAL friendship outside of work. That would be the inappropriate portion of it. On the other side of the topic, I know that the company I work for wants the fellow members of management having get togethers to get to know one another and build a team, which I find useful for with my employees, but not in a fashion that would be going out, it would be like everyone in the store would go to a public place and have a work meeting or get together so there would be no perceived favoritism. However, I personally do not find it appropriate or ethical to ‘hang out’ with ones employees, that it creates too many questions for other employees, so always keep it public and not just one or two of the same employees, but everyone you work with and I see no wrong in that.
Switching gears a bit to wellness programs. This weeks reading was all about wellness programs and what they have to offer an employee, as well as how they can benefit an employee. There was mention about how an employer cannot actually discipline an employee for not partaking in an outside of work wellness program, instead, they tend to create reward programs to go along with the wellness programs. The topic they really talked about in the reading material was quitting smoking. It also gave perspectives on rewards that one can earn when completing the wellness programs, an incentive so to speak. Which I feel is a good thing to have when offering a wellness program to an employee, its something that is not required, but strongly encouraged for ones personal health and wellbeing, whether it be mentally, physically, or ones health concerns.
Marlery post
I dont think it is appropriate to get involved in activities outside work hours unless it is required through the job description and the employees are aware. I saw so many conflicts after a group of co-workers met outside for different reasons, which did not turn out well, especially when no managers were involved. The result was very unexpected due to no boundaries. My recent employer is trying to build a gym for any employee interested in staying after work or coming in before work. Everyone will set a time to utilize the gym without any time conflict. I wonder how everything will play since I believe more than one person will use all the equipment simultaneously on occasion.
On another note, I dont think that employees should be rewarded, disadvantaged, or even punished for either participating or not participating in company wellness programs that require outside work activities. Everyone has the freedom to choose to participate or not. Positive reinforcement can motivate any person trying to get involved in any activity outside the work hours, but whoever chooses not to should be left alone to do anything they would like to do.
Posted in 