NFIB

Telecommuters -- Why?
04/ 03/ 2002


Workforces are changing and the workplace is changing as well. Instead of reluctantly and infrequently calling an employee at home during a vacation or sick day, companies don't think twice about frequent contact with their employees who are on the job at home. The new title is "telecommuter," and increasing numbers of companies are offering employees some variation of this option. In today's Workshop, contributor Edith Helmich, outlines some of the benefits of having employees telecommute.

Computers, pagers, fax machines, and cell phones have virtually eliminated the communication problem with employees who work off the business premises. It is possible to get a response in less time than it might take for an employee to walk across an office complex and deliver the information in person.

There are obvious benefits to employees who telecommute. These include the elimination of commuting to and from the office during heavy traffic hours, reduced transportation and parking costs, casual dress options, uninterrupted time for tasks, and more individual control and responsibility for completing projects. Overall, telecommuters like working at home, and they do not feel isolated from their peers.

Employers also experience benefits when employees telecommute. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, telecommuters do not smoke, drink or use drugs as much as people who work outside their home. The growing availability of home computers offsets the cost of offering a telecommuting option by eliminating the need for an employer-provided computer. Work patterns of telecommuters and non-telecommuters are very similar. Men and women spend about the same amount of time -- about one hour -- on lunch, coffee breaks and personal relaxing. Although employees typically do not care for their children on telecommuting days, the home work location results in fewer absences for family related reasons. Telecommuters have positive attitudes toward their work and they exhibit considerable job stability.

There is little difference in the profile characteristics of employees who work at home and those who do not. Education and work experience do not influence the likelihood of telecommuting for women and only increase it slightly for young men. Societal trends toward more informal working conditions apparently influence employees in all age groups. The majority of employees welcome the opportunity to work at home at least some of the time.

Telecommuting opens a new universe of potential employees during this tight job market, as well as utilizing the increased efficiency of new technology. Telecommuters in your company -- why not?

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