ALT-13 How to Build a Case for Telecommuting
Having been a great proponent of telecommuting from its inception many years ago, I find it extremely easy to make a “case” as it were for this monumental leap in the employment field. Naturally, telecommuting does not fit into every profession but for those not requiring direct patient care, laboratory science, manufacturing and the like, to not allow telecommuting makes absolutely no sense. Everyone from the apartment dweller to the estate homeowner has a dedicated home office space where bills are paid, finances managed, social networking done and e-mails sent and answered. As for privacy, well that is discretionary. It is essential that the telecommuting employee have a dedicated computer just for “work.” That means no children playing games, no surfing the internet save for work related research and no e mailing except for those related to work. The same goes for IM and teleconferencing via webcam. Even the smallest of spaces, as long as it is a quiet space, can be your workstation. After all, cubicles are not the be all end all in a work related atmosphere. Their proximity to one another allows little, if any privacy, and if nothing else, they are a magnet for chitchat and office gossip.
Working from home allows for peace and quiet, solitude and a gossip free atmosphere where work can be the primary focus. I find working from my home office, away from other stimuli, allows me time to ponder my decisions, keep up a steady flow of work related activity while checking in with colleagues via the internet using IM, Webcam conferencing and yes, the antiquated but still useful, e-mails. If all, else fails there are cell phone connections and for all you “old” folks a land line connection to others in your group. This venue saves time, money and energy. After all, aren’t we all seeking this utopian Green Society in which to live and work? Working at home saves fuel (no commuting); wear and tear on our vehicles and the savings to our clothing budget is monumental. Who cares what you are wearing be it pajamas, jeans, t-shirt, bathing suit – whatever – as long as the work is done and deadlines met, minimal carbon foot print attained, life is good. Of course, this leaves us with the dilemma of what to do with all these office buildings and office parks – well tear them down and put up parks, green space if you will. Over the years we have gotten greedy, building offices with climbing walls, play rooms, cafeterias, gyms, day cares and all the “comforts of home” but not home. I think it is time to go home, work from home, come into an office for a meeting or two but limit travel to a minimum. Parents can still use daycare, as an option but still be there if a child is ill or has a handicap. Allowing for a flexible work schedule is paramount to telecommuting and more and more companies are realizing this on a daily basis. There is absolutely no need for destination travel with the use of sophisticated computer technology and webcam teleconferencing along with cell phones and landlines. All business can be done remotely without ever leaving home. Yes, there is a need for social interaction but that is done mainly via the internet anyway these days, so why not work related interaction.
Telecommuting saves time (no commute time or traffic jams), saves energy (no office lighting, heating, cleaning, allows for more family time and social time (start on time, finish up on time and the rest of the times is yours, so to speak. It also allows the office to be at your fingertips so that if you get an inspiration at a time when you are not at work and choose to be creative you have only to walk to your home office and inspire!
I am not saying that telecommuting is for everyone. For those with no discipline and with wandering thoughts and those with the absolute need for human daily interaction, telecommuting is not for you, but think about it, perhaps these employees are not for your company either as they are usually the ones at the “water cooler” or starting the rumors or not being productive anyway. For the ultimate return on your investment in an employee, working from home or a cyber cafe is the way to go. Low maintenance, minimal management, maximum productivity and happy employees, not to mention leaving a low carbon foot print! Who could ask for a better scenario?
