Telecommuting: Pros And Cons

Benefits And Possible Problems Of Telecommuting

Advice Seeker: Dear April,

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

April Masini's advice:

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.