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Telecommuting
This article is in response to the query on telecommuting, its advantages and disadvantages. Telecommuting is very conducive to our particular industry as well as some other hi-tech businesses and in a significant way can be used as a viable marketing tool for recruitment and retention.
Telecommuting is one of the fastest growing trends in the modern workplace, made possible by electronic communications technology. About two years ago, we instituted flexible hours or what is more officially known as "telecommuting" to a small number of employees. To our pleasant surprise, it has proven to be an excellent resource for our company's growth.
The majority of telecommuters are full time company employees on payroll with benefits, while some are part-time employees. Although it varies with the job title, many telecommuters come into the office at least twice a week and work the rest of the week from home. A company should possess a strong core of on-site personnel before it can evolve into this phase.
Some corporations and small businesses are still hesitant to encourage this form of employment because they perceive diminished teamwork or decreased work output as a result of distance from the atypical corporate mainframe. However, we have found the opposite to be true.
Although telecommuting is not applicable for all levels of employees or for all types of businesses, it is a method of employment that is conducive to many forms of service industries.
I will use our firm as an example, however, there are many firms throughout the country who have successfully instituted this type of employment. A service-oriented business is most conducive for this type of employment. Our firm is totally team oriented and must be for continued success of projects. Our creative team members who telecommute have efficiently completed projects with the rest of the company's on-site staff members as part of a cohesive and effective team.
A company in our industry for example must have advanced electronic programs and personnel knowledgeable in developing web pages for secured online viewing and editing for telecommuters and clients. This advancement allows telecommuters to assist with development and see the final team product in its entirety without leaving their home. This technology increases productivity and enables our clients and telecommuters to be located anywhere in the world.
We have found telecommuting to be a viable and worthwhile approach to solving the universal problems of employee morale and retention. Since we began allowing some employees to telecommute two years ago, we have been fortunate enough to acquire a number of additional industry awards. The combination of on site personnel and telecommuters has seen a tenfold clientele increase, expansion into federal government work and international clientele for our company.
Overall, we have seen increased loyalty and commitment and it shows in our growth. Technology has opened the creative pool and helped to expand the borders even further for our company.
The majority of telecommuters today are mothers with young children, however, men are finding telecommuting to be a viable means of incorporating more family time into their lifestyle.
Some businesses, and some job descriptions within businesses, lend themselves better to a telecommuting arrangement than others. Positions based upon consistent accessibility, such as management, administration, or customer service, are generally best filled with a full-time, on-site employee, as are positions that require continual supervision or are an intermediate step in a multi-task process. Jobs that are performed with a greater degree of autonomy, or those that depend on the creative skills of the employee are suited to telecommuting.
Businesses can benefit from telecommuting in several ways. Without the distractions of an office environment, telecommuting employees often log more hours and are more productive. New employee recruitment and relocation expenses can be reduced. Attrition due to parental and family leave can decrease, with obvious savings in hiring and training expenses. Telecommuters tend to value their positions and are less likely to seek other employment.
With telecommuting, as with any business decision, benefits must be weighed against risks. For example, it is important for telecommuters not to be assigned sensitive matters for company security reasons. Surprisingly, areas of primary concern for managers, such as missed deadlines, non-productive hours, and dwindling compliance to company policy and procedure with decreased supervision, rarely (if ever) become problems because of the heightened job satisfaction and morale reported among telecommuters.
The details of a telecommuting arrangement must be thoroughly planned and should be specified in a written agreement. A happy employee is one of your best marketing tools for recruitment, retention and client growth. With the ever changing marketplace, it is important to stay ahead of the curve and telecommuting enables proficient businesses with that opportunity, as well as allowing employees the luxury of balancing work and family life. Valuable information about telecommuting and related legislation can be found at http://www.workforce.com.
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