The mobile workforce in the U.S. is expected to exceed 120 million people by 2012. Embracing this trend for CIOS is more of a question of how rather than if.  How will CIOs measure, manage and build relationships with increasingly distributed teams and workers? Fortunately, there are many strategies to help CIOs adapt to developing their mobile teams.

Steps that CIOs can follow include:

• Implement programs that build relationships between mobile employees and the enterprise - do not let them become islands of isolation.
• Mutually identify communication preferences the enterprise and your mobile team members to develop communication plan.
• Define a reporting balance for detail /summary and timing communications
• Listen and keep an open mind to new ideas and approaches
• Have mobile workers define communication and reporting practices they want to follow
• Focus on results (deliverables) not processes
• Design some unstructured, informal ongoing dialogs with mobile employees about their performance goals and personal development plans is a great way to strengthen communications, and shows an active interest in mobile workers and relationships.
• Use trust to create strong relationships
• Adapt to individual workers needs
• Leverage the mobile workforce and the technology they use
• Know your target audience. Who are your most important customers, clients or prospects, and why? Know what is important to them and address their needs in your newsletter each month.