The Pros and Cons of Telecommuting.

With advancements in technology we have seen business morph from usual work practices into something more relaxed and productive. Telecommuting has become a luxury that has its pros and cons and now with its wide use, companies are starting to see drawbacks of not having employees in the office every day.

In some cases telecommuting increases productivity, enhances retention and is environmentally friendly. In addition it saves workers money and commuting time. It can eliminate gender gaps in the workplace, allowing mothers to care for their children while working from home.  A telecommuter may work harder and longer with this work-life balance, and gain confidence in their abilities. It gives employees the opportunity to work, outside of the coventional 9 to 5 day.

With any luxury there are also downfalls and negative aspects. Telecommuting can expand hours, may increase work-family conflicts, raise expectations of work tasks into home time, decrease management control of work being done and increase the potential for abuse. It can seem like an efficient and friendly work environment but with constant lack of supervision employees may lose direction. In person employee interaction also fosters collaboration and encourages better performance through expectation. Reluctance to allow telecommuting stems from management not wanting to lose control over their employees work, fear of employees slacking off and bitterness toward management due to the absence of human interaction.  

Yahoo and Best Buy have recently ended their open policies of telecommuting for many of these reasons. Apparently their procedures had spun out of control and required cutbacks in this area. Both companies are facing hard times and are re-evaluating the efficiency of some of their programs. While they may still allow telecommuting, barriers have now been established that rely on management to make the decision of its necessity. It may prove difficult to turn your company around when employees aren’t in the office.

A Census Bureau report recently released showed that 13 million people (up from 9 million in 2010) work from home at least one day a week.  Many companies are asking if it’s worth it. Telecommuting definitely provides a friendly and flexible work environment but, there is worry that work is not getting done efficiently and that people are abusing their privileges. Working from home poses a question though; if there are no extenuating circumstances why aren’t you in the office? If you’ve broken your leg you should be allowed to work from home, but feeling lazy, tired or hung-over aren't really reasons to work from home. Telecommuting is here to stay but it is no longer a luxury and needs to have more regulations surrounding it. Careful monitoring of the work-life balance will help management and employees understand the pros and cons of telecommuting and should increase morale and productivity.