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Honk if You Love Telecommuting!

by Ella Rue

UCDA Designer Magazine, (Vol. 28, No. 3)

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"...Workers...have given up on the freeway and now use the information superhighway to get to work. It's called Telecommuting and it's catching on."

--Tom Brokaw, NBC Nightly News, March 22, 1994

Imagine the perfect job. You rise in the morning, not to the sinister seizing sound of the alarm clock, but instead when your body tells you it has had enough sleep.

You take responsibility for your output with no one staring over your shoulder, questioning your moves, missions, and motives regarding your day. Your own personal environment enhances your inspiration. That pileated woodpecker that has made his home in your backyard comes out tap-tap-tapping on the tree near your back window. You sip your coffee and quietly watch the bright red tuft on his head and the sharp contrasted black and white on his body flutters about outside your window. You've even given him a name: "Zee" after the zebra in the Beechnut gum commercial from the TV days of your childhood. How wonderful to sip your coffee in the morning and gaze at nature dancing her miracles for you. Doesn't it sound like a delightful way to begin you day? No, you're not dreaming- and yes, your paycheck will continue to be automatically deposited. I'm speaking of the concept of telecommuting. Or consider the alternative, sitting in traffic- your cell phone precariously propped on your shoulder, your coffee cooling in the cup-holder, as you rifle through the change compartment to get the exact amount to pay the toll taker who makes his annoyance at your being unprepared quite apparent. The bleating horns of your fellow commuters are already draining you of what otherwise could have been a peacefully inspired day.

Whether telecommuting will work for you depends on so many variables.

Within the field of marketing and design the types of jobs that are most conducive to telecommuting are nearly endless - copywriters, editors, artists, designers, desktop publishers, journalists, market researchers ... the list goes on and on. But how do we convince our supervisors of the appeal of telecommuting? Telecommuting is a bottom line venture. If we can persuade our supervisors to give it a whirl, then the outcome will speak for itself, but before making any decisions you might want to consider the pros and cons of choosing an office with a backyard view.

Pros and Cons

Benefits to employer

Better concentration: many interruptions to work flow are avoided thus enabling greater productivity.
No late starting because of travel difficulties, which may cause:
- Late or non-arrival of employee.
- "Decompression" time lost as employee recovers from a difficult commute.
Less time taken off due to illness.
Less time taken off due to family crisis. Employees will have what would otherwise be commute time to deal with problems and still be available during any designated "core" work time.
Less productivity loss due to early wind down towards the end of the workday as employees mentally start to prepare to leave and clear their desks.
Reduced labor turnover because:
- Flexible work offering makes employees reluctant to leave employment and is more appealing to well-educated graduates; therefore they are less likely to switch jobs as freely.
- Maternity and medical related incidents will result in less staff leaving employment because they can work almost right up to and much sooner after the event.
- Employees can move/live further away without losing their jobs.
· Facilitates recruiting because:
- Flexible working is more appealing, especially to the educated younger generation, than having a 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. day (including commute time).
- Employer can appeal to a large labor pool, inclusive of disabled, those with young families, and the elderly.
- Employer can tap into a larger labor pool that is farther away from city centers and also often less expensive.
Increased client contact because Teleworking / Telecommuting related equipment frees staff from their desks.
May be able to reduce parking subsidies as an employee benefit, as well as reduce or eliminate catering subsidies or the facilities themselves. (Source: www.teleworker.com)

You might consider allowing your employees to tele-work if:

1. Your department is growing, adding staff, and running out of space.
2. You're under pressure to reduce costs, and you need to examine current facility and overhead expenses.
3. Some departments or functions already perform a significant portion of their jobs away from the office.
4. Dispersal of employees would reduce the organization's exposure in case of emergencies and national disasters such as earthquakes or serious weather problems. (Source: Adapted from Teleworking, A Discussion about Working Alternatives Steelcase)

Benefits to employee

Many interruptions to work flow are avoided, thus affording better concentration which enables more to be accomplished.
Travel difficulties are avoided. These could be caused either by a breakdown of personal transport or disruption / delays en route to office, which could cause:
- Loss of pay because of lateness or non-arrival.
- Increased stress generated by a difficult commute.
Less time taken off due to illness. If employee is too ill or recuperating from serious illness, s/he might be well enough to work at home.
Improved general health because of reduced stress, exposure to pollution and less likely to contract contagious diseases such as flu, colds, viruses, etc.
Increased personal safety:
Reduced risk of commuting accident.
Less exposure to violence en route to and at the work place.
Ability to cope more easily with personal family matters. What was once commuting time is now available to make arrangements to cover school closings, minor family illnesses, and household repairs, services, etc. by outside contractors.
Almost no "decompression" time needed once work day is over to recover from stress of commute - remainder of household doesn't need to have to wait while you "chill out"!
Will have more time to spend on improving personal skills / education thereby commanding better job security.
Lowers cost-of-living expenses through:
Being able to live further out of town in less expensive housing areas.
Reduced commute costs because:
- Less vehicle maintenance needed because less mileage driven.
- Less purchases of business clothing; would wear casual clothes more often.
- Lower dry cleaning costs; casual clothes are generally more washable at home.
· Reduced child or elder care because drop-off and/or pick-up times can be adjusted to reduce hours under care.

Telecommuting Isn't for Everyone

Telecommuting works best with already high-performing employees. Like in most situations, good communication between the telecommuter and those still in the office is essential for effectiveness. The goals and expectations need to be discussed clearly, and the decision to telecommute need not be a permanent one. To begin with, consider a one-month pilot program to see how it works for all involved.

Potential negatives to employer

Concerns of management about:
Accessibility to employees - "Where are they when I want them?"
Loss of control - "If I can't see them, I can't control them."
Reduced productivity - "Are my staff really working or watching TV?"
Security - "How do I know that my database won't be corrupted when my staff logs on to the Internet?"
Work information flow - "If they are away from the office, how can I tell when I should try to get more work to my staff?"
Loss of client contact - "You can't shake hands over a fax machine."

Potential negatives to employee

Guilt regarding being more or less productive than non teleworkers; may arise, which may lead to resentment and/or unemployment.
Lack of collegial input
May have to spend money (unexpected expenses) in order to:
Add or improve electrical outlets and/or lighting.
Have extra phone line(s) installed.
Buy communication / computer equipment and/or software.
Buy extra insurance to cover computers, furniture, business visitors, etc.
Build separate entrance and walkway to Home Office.
Pay legal costs associated with local authority permits.
Will have to carry out own typing, filing, and other routine office functions.
Will lose subsidized food and beverages; will have to pay for them at home.
Loss of subsidized public transport may cost employee on days that (s)he does need to attend meetings at the office. (Source: www.teleworker.com)

My Home Office

Go in with a plan- not a request. It's always easier to ask for approval, than permission. Explain what you want to do and why. Start modestly. Ask for a one-month-long pilot program of one day a week. Four telecommuting days each month is nearly risk-free for both employer and employee. Offer competitive examples. If you can show that similar institutions are doing this, the perceived risk is significantly lowered. Explain how working in your own environment will make you more productive and creative. Just think, as you sip your morning coffee and watch that pileated woodpecker tap-tap-tapping in the tree near your back window, you will be able to recall wistfully how you no longer have to endure the morning commute; breathe in CO2, listen to angry commuters, and risk being a part of the ever-growing phenomenon of road rage. Instead, you will be spending a fully productive and efficient day in your "home office."

No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the University & College Designers Association.