HR: Is Telecommuting Right for Your Business?
Working at home and communicating with the office by computer, phone or fax- otherwise known as telecommuting is hardly a new concept. Employers in the IT industry have been offering this work option to their employees as early as the 1960's.
Recently Cisco Systems released a study that evaluated the impact of their internal telecommuting program, where employees telecommute on average 2 days per week. The study of almost 2000 Cisco employees looked at a number of topics including work quality and productivity, employee satisfaction and environmental impact. Overall the study revealed a significant increase in work life flexibility, productivity and overall job satisfaction. Employees reported an estimated fuel costs savings of $10.3 million per year and the environment benefited by preventing the release of about 47,320 metric tons of greenhouse gas. In addition, Cisco generated an estimated annual savings of $277 million in productivity
Offering a telecommuting program to employees can be a great strategy for some companies. If done correctly it can have a positive impact not only for the company and their employees, but also on the economy and the environment. Employees can be more productive and focused with fewer interruptions; employee satisfaction can be higher- decreasing employee turnover; businesses have a competitive edge by attracting/retaining the best talent and there can be a reduced demand for parking and office space.
Telecommuting may not be right for all companies though and it is not without risks and consequences. Some concerns for businesses include- legal and risk management- exposing employers to related on the job injuries and compromising computer security. Employee productivity, measuring an employee's output and lack of control over hours worked are also concerns.
In order for telecommuting efforts to be successful, the program needs to work for both the employer and the employee. Not every employee wants to or can telecommute. Some positions/employees may not be a good fit for the program. For telecommuting to succeed, a company needs to have a well thought-out policy in place. Setting clear guidelines and expectations, open lines of communication, training and financial commitment are all essential to a good plan.
While there may be some barriers to telecommuting, I believe the negatives can be easily overcome with planning and oversight and the pros can far outweigh the cons.