Telecommuting, Has Its Time Come

The ubiquitous use of computers and the Internet has spurred the growth of telecommuting; the activity of working outside the traditional workplace. Telecommuting has become a popular practice both from the employee’s perspective as well as from the employer’s point of view. One of the reasons that telecommuting has recently become so popular is because it is considered a green initiative. Removing cars from our highways reduces pollution levels and that’s a good thing. There are a lot more positives than negatives associated with telecommuting. Here are just as few of each:

Positive

Employee
1. Lack of interruptions.
2. No commuting.
3. Reduced personal expenses.
4. Flexible hours.
5. No child care expenses.
6. Work in your pajamas.

Employer
1. Reduced business interruption costs.
2. Reduced need for office space.
3. No relocation expenses.
4. Increased productivity.
5. Reduced employee tie off for appointments.
6. Attract the best employees.

Negative

Employee
1. Lack of socialization.
2. Coordination of work with others.

Employer
1. Not always physically accessable.
2. Managing people is a problem.

I think that telecommuting is a trend that is here to stay. There are just too many cost cutting, time-savings, and environmental benefits for both employees and employers for its growth not to continue. What do you think?