Why telecommuting is good for your company.

Here’s the latest on the news feed for “Telecommuting”… just thought I’d Share. be sure to get your boss to read it if you don’t already telecommute.

Are you thinking of letting your employees work from home? Here are some things to consider.

Telecommuting has become popular in recent years, not only because it is convenient to employees, but also to employers. However, the fact that telecommuting is still a privilege and not a right among majority of employees, it means that workers who prefer to work from home on certain days of the week must build the case for it. That is because telecommuting should benefit not only the employee, but more so, the employer. Business must be guaranteed to continue even when the worker is not at the office.

Here are some considerations if you are thinking of giving telecommuting privilege to your staff.

Telecommuting assures business continuity. In case of an unforeseen calamity event, which prevents workers from getting to the office in time and safely, telecommuting is the best option. Instead of reporting late or skipping work altogether, employees who have telecommuting privileges can still turn in their deliverables. In this connected age, turning in work gains more weight than turning up at work.

Telecommuting reduces company overhead. Because your staff works outside the office, chances are they are paying for the energy cost of running their own computers, printing documents in their own home office printers, or attending calls using their own phone. Prepare for the possibility of subsidizing their energy bills, though.

Telecommuting promotes productivity by reducing stress. Stressed out employees are like cars running on empty tanks. Arriving at work from a stressful and tiring commute requires workers to pass several minutes before they can get back to the productivity flow. On the other hand, working in a relaxed environment helps them focus on the job.

Telecommuting means no excuses for missing deadlines. Corollary to #1, telecommuting means that workers are available whenever and wherever. Therefore, there is no excuse anymore for them to miss deadlines and not be able to submit work. Unless a massive blackout or network disconnection hits them, the two to three hours spent on commuting each day can be spent on coding their projects, sending emails, calling clients, or writing reports.

Telecommuting does not necessarily reduce data security. In most tech-related work, telecommuting means remote desktop access. Therefore, the chances of leaking sensitive data are very little. If you are concerned about data security, work with your network administrators in setting up remote desktop access to make sure that company information will not be leaked not only outside the workplace but also outside the network environment.

Telecommuting does not require expensive equipment. Truth be told, telecommuting only requires a computer, internet access, and a phone or fax. These equipment are very inexpensive and are most likely already available at home, so there is less chance that you still have to provide additional hardware to help them set up home offices.

Telecommuting keeps the family together. In households where both parents are working, telecommuting enables parents to spend more time with their kids. This is one point for running a great company to work for, and not to mention that it encourages employee retention.

This article is courtesy of:

ExecutiveBrief
Technology Management Resource for Business Leaders
http://www.executivebrief.com

Can you teach someone how to work from home?

Teaching telecommuting

I had to commute this morning. I left the commuting behind about 5 years ago and dread the drive from middle-of-nowhere Massachusetts to Boston. We have a lot more horses than traffic jams out my way, so I’ve definitely lost my tolerance for traffic. The local troopers frown on BlackBerry use as you inch along besides.

Needless to say, as I fumed on my way to a conference south of Boston this morning, I got to thinking about Zack Whittaker’s article on working from home. There is a cultural shift going on, no doubt, as more and more people telecommute. Rising gas prices, greater awareness of our carbon footprints, cost of living considerations, work-life balance, etc., all drive telecommuting.

It occurred to me, though, that we can actually teach kids skills and provide them with tools that allow them to work anytime, anywhere, on any computer. I touched on this idea with my article on SIMtone’s Virtual PC initiative, but the tools already exist to enable kids to simulate a work environment in which they can remain connected to their data and school resources.

Citrix is the obvious example, along with VPN tunnels allowing access to shared drives, expensive applications, etc. A local school recently had to send kids home because they lost heat in the building. While this is not a big deal for a lot of students (it’s like a snow day, only early!), other students enrolled in SAT prep courses, AP courses, and others that need every day possible to cram in content could certainly have benefited from the ability to work at home.

This is no different from those of us who commute (or at least formerly commuted) through the snow belts. In fact, most businesses find that this sort of 24/7, work in your pajamas access really increases productivity. Spouses and significant others don’t care much for it, but the ability to work anytime means that a lot of people work, well, anytime.

It’s easy to make a case for letting kids work anytime as well and instilling, if not workaholism, a healthy respect for the tools that let them get their jobs done effectively, even after the school day has ended.

This article is courtesy of :

Christopher Dawson is the technology director for the Athol-Royalston School District in northern Massachusetts. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.

Article source: http://education.zdnet.com/?p=1889

Telecommuting-Is It Worth It?

Telecommuting is a working arrangement in which employees enjoy flexibility in working location and hours. People commute in cars, buses, planes and trains to work and to other activities on a regular basis; commuting is part of our lives. However the actual need to physically change location in order to accomplish such tasks has recently been challenged on the basis of concerns for energy conservation, the impact on our environment and a refocusing on family values. Many telecommuters work from home, while others work from coffee shops or a myriad of other locations. Work can be looked at as something you do, not something you travel to.

When you telecommute, there are many pros and cons as to if it is the right situation to find yourself in. It is efficient and useful for companies to allow staff to telecommute over a large distance, saving significant amounts of travel time and cost which is why it has been given increasing attention across the United States in the last several years. But for the individual doing the telecommuting, while they get the freedom to set their own hours and work pace, they often face a factor of invisibility. “Out of sight, out of mind.”

By far the greatest advantage of telecommuting is increased productivity. Telecommuters say that the time they save not having to commute to work, means that they get more done in their workday. Unfortunately, they will also spend time working on matters associated with the office in the evening when they are not “on the clock” because the work is there and so are they.

Telecommuting offers advantages to both the employee and the employer, but the disadvantages fall largely onto the shoulders of the employee. If the situation is right for you and your boss, it is definitely something to be looked into if you don’t mind the possibility of missing the morning water cooler chats.

This contribution is courtesy of Michelle Noe.

Job shortages? Not in Canada.

As I went through my gmail I came across an alert about telecommuting I though I’d share with you. For those of you not famalar with Google Alerts, it’s a neat little tool you can set up that’s keyword based that will bring you the latest news or online “mention” of that keyword. Basically you choose the keyword you’d like to keep updated on, then enter your email address. The next time that keyword is used online, you’ll get an alert. It’s a great way to know if people are speaking about you online or to keep track of companies to know when they’re hiring. I’m sure you can find other creative reason for using Google alerts

Back to the title of the post… Kinda strange when you watch CNN or any news program and all you see or hear about is the doom and gloom of the US economy.

Programs help solve labour shortage woes

Faced with rising costs, ongoing labour shortages and the need to find creative solutions to improve productivity, corporations across Canada are finally embracing telecommuting initiatives on a widespread basis, say proponents of the concept.

“Employees are requesting the freedom and flexibility to work remotely, but in many cases it’s driven by employers,” says Elsbeth Mehrer, manager of workforce development for Calgary Economic Development (CED).

When CED held a forum earlier this year, it attracted companies such as Telus Corp., Axia Netmedia Corp. and Canadian Pacific, who spoke about the benefits and challenges of implementing telework programs company-wide. Click here to read the entire article.

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