Telecommuting Advisor

Types of Telecommuting and Trends

September 4, 2008 on 2:47 pm | In Training |

Telecommuting is here to stay because these times require a flexible workforce. This section discusses some the options employers have and why the concept of telework will be around for some time to come.

Forms of Telecommuting

When you think of telecommuting, you generally picture the traditional work-from-home scenario. But actually, telecommunicating can take different forms.

Home-based Telecommuting

The majority of people who telecommute do so from their home base. The economics of telecommuting are the most justifiable from the home location because that is where people spend most of their time, and if they are already there, there is no cost incurred to get somewhere else for the purpose of starting work.

Satellite Offices and Telework Centers

The concept of a telework center is a cross between an employee being on-site at an employer and an employee working from home. Whereas a satellite office generally houses people who work for the same company apart from the firm’s main office, a telework center houses people who may work for many different companies. An associated concept to the satellite office is hoteling, where employees do not have a permanent office at a company facility, but are assigned a work space for short periods of time to get their work accomplished.

Telework centers are independent businesses that provide most of the services their client companies require, such as office space, furniture, office equipment, computers, secretarial services, conference rooms, and telecommunications service, including Internet access, networking and fax. The typical arrangement is shared by several companies, who may even share common areas simultaneously.

Typically found outside of large metropolitan areas, telework centers are an alternative means for companies to decentralize their employees closer to where they live, while at the same time, not having to invest in building additional capacity in their current facilities to accommodate additional staff. On the employee side, there are still cost savings to be realized, such as perhaps a shorter commute for example, but the employee still needs to leave home in order to perform their work.

Mobile Telecommuting

Performing work on-the-go from constantly changing locations is what mobile commuting is all about. Managers like mobile computing because the very technology that enables employees to stay in touch with their office also allows them to be more productive, spend more time with clients, and provide quick turnaround for all kinds of services.

The mobile telecommuter utilizes electronic technology to the fullest and is the most likely person to need support.

Trends

Societal

According to Gartner Dataquest, a technology advisory firm, it is estimated that at least 12 million people telecommute to work more than 8 hours per week, which is double the amount estimated in 2000. They speculate the number will hit nearly 14 million by 2009, and will continue to grow.

Baby boomers have gotten a taste of the flexibility that telecommuting affords them, and many of these valued employees have agreed to stay on with companies instead of retiring, giving them an incentive to keep working. Generation X and Y workers aren’t prone to sit in cubicles all day, so are coming to expect that employers will provide alternatives to commuting into the office every day. Indeed, companies are recognizing that they have to offer these options in order to attract, retain and motivate a talented workforce.

Technological

This increase in telecommuting has certainly been buoyed by advances in technology. PDAs now permit people to access information from anywhere and the growing use of broadband and wireless connections in homes and public locations has accelerated the trend. In addition, a host of technologies already being used today will see a boon in the next five to ten years thanks to telework. Video conferencing and webcams are expected to appear everywhere as companies try to recreate the face time they loose and strive to make distance workers feel connected. Software currently exists that permits workers in far-flung locations to brainstorm and work on documents at the same time via virtual whiteboards, and this trend toward remote collaboration will accelerate in the next decade.

Economic

Much of the renewed interest in telecommuting stems from organizations trying to find ways to save money. There are many compelling economic reasons to embark upon a telecommuting program or to expand one already in place. Companies are finding that they can grow without having to build or lease new facilities by shifting the work to teleworkers, who don’t take up office space or occupy a desk. At the same time, workers are clamoring for flexible work arrangements to provide some relief to skyrocketing commuting costs. An added benefit for companies is the productivity gains they are seeing from workers who are more efficient working in an environment where they can get their work done with fewer distractions.

Myths and Misconceptions

The following are some of the myths and misconceptions that have built up surrounding telecommuting:

Myth: Without supervision, workers will goof off and not get their work done.

Fact: Studies have shown just the opposite. Workers find they have fewer distractions and get more work accomplished. A comprehensive telecommuting program addresses placing the right people in telecommuting jobs and training both managers and workers about expectations, objectives, and measuring results.

Myth: Telecommuting only works for large companies.

Fact: While most of the news reports on telecommuting focus on large, well-known companies, in actuality, most telework performed these days takes place in smaller companies simply due to the fact that there are more of them. Smaller firms often are more nimble and can adopt new ideas more quickly. In addition, due to their size, they are under more pressure to cut costs wherever possible, and telecommuting has demonstrated a huge potential for cost savings for employers.

Myth: “Out of sight, out of mind”. I’ll become less visible to management and will miss promotion opportunities if I telecommute.

Fact: This is generally not true because most telecommuting programs do have remote workers reporting to the office periodically. If anything, most managers of telecommuters report that their telecommuters are often more promotable rather than less, because the experience of working at a distance helps demonstrate their capacity for more responsibility.

Myth: I can get up and get to work any time I want.

Fact: While this may be true to some extent, the reality is that you still may need to coordinate work assignments with both on-site and remote employees and need to be available when they are. A good telecommuting policy will specify core work hours so that this can be facilitated.