Telecommuting’s biggest hurdle is overcoming insecure managers who fear work will not get done unless they see it
Companies looking to set themselves apart should take initiatives that can make an employee’s life easier while positively impacting the bottom line. A happy employee tends to be more productive and many companies are reaping the benefits of setting up telecommuting programs.
Why telecommute?
As cities become more congested and housing prices continue to skyrocket people are moving further into the suburbs. Spending an hour getting to work each morning and another hour heading home is not a healthy use of one’s time. If work-life balance is important then one shouldn’t spend 12 per cent of the day commuting.
Employees who are rebounding from a layoff are especially concerned with work-life balance because they have seen how quickly their hard work can be discarded due to economic factors out of their control.
A simple solution is for companies to work on establishing a program where employees can telecommute and work outside of the office.
Another reason to telecommute is it allows a company to expand its workforce and the talent pool it recruits from without straining the resources of head office. Being able to hire the best person for the job as opposed to the best person in your area is a big difference. The Internet has changed the rules and it is now easier than ever to stay in the loop while working remotely.
Today, the dream of working from home, the cottage or the road is quickly becoming a reality. Once a company sets up a “virtual private network” (VPN) employees can log into the corporate servers and access the same information they would if they were in the office. Why be chained to a desk when you can be enjoying the comforts of waking up and settling into a productive day while sipping your morning coffee?
Establishing a telecommuting program
There are different ways to go about setting up a telecommuting program. Obviously, it is important to get the IT department involved when setting up the VPN. After that, HR needs to set up guidelines that are followed by all employees looking to work remotely.
Many companies interview candidates to assess whether they will succeed in working out of the office. Others insist that only employees with a certain level of experience can qualify to work outside the office because establishing corporate values takes time.
There are numerous Web sites where you can download questionnaires and policy procedures that companies have established in the past. The Canadian Telework Association (www.ivc.ca/part3.html) is a great resource that helps companies assess whether telecommuting is a viable option for their employees.
Telecommuter profile
Working away from the office is not the right fit for everyone. It takes a certain type of personality to succeed and deal with the distractions of kids, neighbours and household chores within a stone’s throw. The personality profile of a telecommuter is someone who is self-motivated, deadline-oriented and comfortable working alone. Many people find that telecommuting can become lonely which is why working it into an office schedule is often a happy medium between the office and home.
Managers need to adapt
During a recent focus group on telecommuting, it was interesting to note the different issues that managers had regarding the topic. Some felt it important that employees got up and wore business attire similar to those in the office even if they were working from home. Another point was how important interaction with co-workers is to sustaining the corporate culture. Others said that work just doesn’t get done unless they are there to supervise.
The major hurdle for many employees to overcome is insecure managers who fear work will not get done unless they see it for themselves. The solution is for managers to work on setting clear goals with defined deadlines that can be worked toward. A results-orientated company can only benefit by giving employees the chance to create an optimal work environment.
There are limits
Telecommuting is not realistic for all companies and all jobs. After all, it would be hard to be a recruiter while working from home. Obviously many jobs depend on being physically present at the corporate facilities. However, most jobs have a certain amount of administrative or analytical thought that can be done outside of the office and this is where telecommuting can add value.
Employees are finding they can telecommute at least a day per week or work from home a couple of hours each day and come to the office after rush hour and leave before it. Some jobs are ideally suited to telecommuting and it is the flexible hours that are required to attract the top talent. For instance, graphic designers are notorious for working at all hours because creativity doesn’t just occur between nine and five.
As cities expand and employees travel further to get to work it is only a matter of time before telecommuting is considered the norm and traveling to work is done only when necessary. Companies that want to attract and retain the brightest employees will have to acknowledge the importance of a work-life balance and adopting a proactive telecommuting program is a step in the right direction.
Mark Laurie and Nathan Laurie are the Ontario Young Entrepreneurs of the Year and the publishers of Canada’s only student jobs magazine, jobpostings. They can be reached at 1-877-900-5627 or [email protected].
Why telecommute?
As cities become more congested and housing prices continue to skyrocket people are moving further into the suburbs. Spending an hour getting to work each morning and another hour heading home is not a healthy use of one’s time. If work-life balance is important then one shouldn’t spend 12 per cent of the day commuting.
Employees who are rebounding from a layoff are especially concerned with work-life balance because they have seen how quickly their hard work can be discarded due to economic factors out of their control.
A simple solution is for companies to work on establishing a program where employees can telecommute and work outside of the office.
Another reason to telecommute is it allows a company to expand its workforce and the talent pool it recruits from without straining the resources of head office. Being able to hire the best person for the job as opposed to the best person in your area is a big difference. The Internet has changed the rules and it is now easier than ever to stay in the loop while working remotely.
Today, the dream of working from home, the cottage or the road is quickly becoming a reality. Once a company sets up a “virtual private network” (VPN) employees can log into the corporate servers and access the same information they would if they were in the office. Why be chained to a desk when you can be enjoying the comforts of waking up and settling into a productive day while sipping your morning coffee?
Establishing a telecommuting program
There are different ways to go about setting up a telecommuting program. Obviously, it is important to get the IT department involved when setting up the VPN. After that, HR needs to set up guidelines that are followed by all employees looking to work remotely.
Many companies interview candidates to assess whether they will succeed in working out of the office. Others insist that only employees with a certain level of experience can qualify to work outside the office because establishing corporate values takes time.
There are numerous Web sites where you can download questionnaires and policy procedures that companies have established in the past. The Canadian Telework Association (www.ivc.ca/part3.html) is a great resource that helps companies assess whether telecommuting is a viable option for their employees.
Telecommuter profile
Working away from the office is not the right fit for everyone. It takes a certain type of personality to succeed and deal with the distractions of kids, neighbours and household chores within a stone’s throw. The personality profile of a telecommuter is someone who is self-motivated, deadline-oriented and comfortable working alone. Many people find that telecommuting can become lonely which is why working it into an office schedule is often a happy medium between the office and home.
Managers need to adapt
During a recent focus group on telecommuting, it was interesting to note the different issues that managers had regarding the topic. Some felt it important that employees got up and wore business attire similar to those in the office even if they were working from home. Another point was how important interaction with co-workers is to sustaining the corporate culture. Others said that work just doesn’t get done unless they are there to supervise.
The major hurdle for many employees to overcome is insecure managers who fear work will not get done unless they see it for themselves. The solution is for managers to work on setting clear goals with defined deadlines that can be worked toward. A results-orientated company can only benefit by giving employees the chance to create an optimal work environment.
There are limits
Telecommuting is not realistic for all companies and all jobs. After all, it would be hard to be a recruiter while working from home. Obviously many jobs depend on being physically present at the corporate facilities. However, most jobs have a certain amount of administrative or analytical thought that can be done outside of the office and this is where telecommuting can add value.
Employees are finding they can telecommute at least a day per week or work from home a couple of hours each day and come to the office after rush hour and leave before it. Some jobs are ideally suited to telecommuting and it is the flexible hours that are required to attract the top talent. For instance, graphic designers are notorious for working at all hours because creativity doesn’t just occur between nine and five.
As cities expand and employees travel further to get to work it is only a matter of time before telecommuting is considered the norm and traveling to work is done only when necessary. Companies that want to attract and retain the brightest employees will have to acknowledge the importance of a work-life balance and adopting a proactive telecommuting program is a step in the right direction.
Mark Laurie and Nathan Laurie are the Ontario Young Entrepreneurs of the Year and the publishers of Canada’s only student jobs magazine, jobpostings. They can be reached at 1-877-900-5627 or [email protected].
