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Why it Makes Sense for Companies to Allow Telecommuting

January 7, 2010 | Leave a Comment

An increasing number of businesses are getting on board with a teleworking program, letting employees work from home full time or at least a couple of days per week. While the benefits of teleworking are obvious for employees (and the environment) there are also benefits for the businesses that allow telecommuting.

Everyone benefits from teleworking

Photo by: Wrumsby on Flickr

Benefits of Letting Employees Telework:

  • Employees avoid wasting time they could otherwise devote to their work
  • Commuters face significant increases in traffic congestion in all 437 metropolitan areas in the United States. According to the Texas Transportation Institute’s Urban Mobility 2009 study, the average metro Atlanta commuter wastes an average of 57 hours a year stuck in traffic.
  • This gridlock costs Atlanta commuters almost $3 billion in time and fuel—roughly $1,257 per commuter, per year. Forget raises, Atlanta employers can save millions on salaries by simply implementing a telework program –considered by many employees to be a raise in itself.  (Not to mention the lives that can be saved by not contributing to traffic accidents.)
  • Employees working remotely can carry on in the event the headquarters gets shut down by the unexpected such as hazardous weather, a natural disaster or man-made disasters like a terrorist threat.
  • The corporation can reduce overhead expenses by paying less for office space, supplies, coffee, etc…
  • Happy workers are better workers. Employees with the option of telecommuting are generally healthier and more content with their jobs than otherwise. And they will be
  • Flexible schedules allow employees to schedule doctor visits and other personal appointments without taking time away from the days that they are in the office interfacing with co-workers.

Will Employees Goof Off if They Work From Home?

Traditional employers may be worried that “out of sight out of mind” means less productivity if not kept under the watchful eye of supervisors. This doesn’t necessarily hold up to closer scrutiny.

Employees are capable of goofing off anywhere –especially at work. There are just as many distractions in a corporate office -if not more- than there are in a private home office. Also, most employees who work from home do not want to lose the privilege of telecommuting and may work even harder at their jobs to prove their value.

How Do Businesses Measure Productivity of Remote Employees?

There are many ways to measure the work remote employees. Employers and workers can establish performance goals and benchmarks to ensure desired productivity and the actual work gets done. Most people (who don’t live in a cave) are immediately accessible through cell phones and chat clients if co-workers or managers need them.

Resources:

www.telework.gov/
Resources for business, managers and employees who are engaged in a telework program.

http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=44465
Teleworking gains popularity with government agencies.

www.workingfromanywhere.org
WorldatWork is committed to advancing telework – the ability to work from anywhere – as a tool to attract, motivate and retain talent. In 2005, WorldatWork acquired ITAC to form the Telework Advisory Group of WorldatWork.

Cleanair Campaign
Facts on environment, traffic congestion and teleworking.


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