Telecommuting: Pros And Cons

Benefits And Possible Problems Of Telecommuting

By
Relationship Advice Expert April Masini

I own a business and I am thinking about allowing some of my employees to telecommute. However, I'm a bit nervous about what this will mean for their levels of productivity. They say it will allow them to get more done; I'm not so sure. What do you think about the benefits of telecommuting? Also, while some of them want to telecommute, they are worried that they will feel socially isolated and that they may be passed over for possible promotions. Is this common among telecommuters?

Sincerely,

Torn About Telecommuting

Dear Torn About Telecommuting,

Technology is here to stay, and one of the benefits of technology is telecommuting. There are various ways for employees to telecommute. One way is total telecommuting, where employees and employers only communicate by computer and telephone. The other way is partial telecommuting which gives employees the opportunity to work in an office a percentage of their work week, and to work at home as telecommuters the other percentage of their work week.

The benefit of having employees who telecommute are:

* They work longer hours and are often more productive. Coming into an office takes more hours of energy exertion than just the hours in the office. Dressing, commuting, waking up an hour earlier for commute time allowance -- all of this drains energy from workers who might telecommute without expending extra energy on just getting to an office.

* In their own environment telecommuters are more comfortable and therefore, more productive. Because telecommuters are in their own home office or home, they can break up their day by taking care of business at home, too. This may seem like a waste of energy to employers, but the stress it reduces from telecommuters allows them more productivity for work, rather than more time on site and less productivity.

* Telecommuters who work night owl hours will find each other and work together, on a more natural clock than office workers who are forced into a nine to five work schedule. This kind of work dynamic promotes more natural, productive work than a forced schedule.

Possibility of promotions and social isolation:

Ironically, your questions about telecommuters being passed over for promotions and dealing with social isolation are related. Most promotions take place in a politically charged atmosphere. Telecommuting doesn't usually afford such an atmosphere. Telecommuters don't have the same information about what's going on in a business because they don't see and work with the rest of the people in the "office." This can put them at a disadvantage for a promotion.

On the other hand, telecommuters often don't feel isolated by telecommuting, which is why they opt for it. For many telecommuters, being allowed to telecommute allows them to be more creative and productive because their hours are not always uniform. The brainstorm may come in the middle of the night, and the computer is right there.

There are telecommuters who do feel isolated, and single telecommuters often have a particularly difficult time meeting other singles because so much of one's social life these days happens at the office, going to and from the office or at office related meals, parties, social events, etc. These telecommuters have to make an extra effort to get out and take care of themselves, socially, one of the challenges of telecommuting.

April Masini -- nicknamed "the new millennium's Dear Abby" by the media, is author of the best-selling books Date Out Of Your League and Think & Date Like A Man, the two (just released) step-by-step dating and relationship manuals, Ideas for a Fun Date and Romantic Date Ideas, and the critically acclaimed dating and relationship online magazine www.AskApril.com.

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