24 million Americans work from home at least 1 day a month
While the rising cost of gas is making it more expensive for commuters to get to work, the shrinking cost of wireless technologies are making it easier to get work done from a desk in the bedroom, rather than a table in the boardroom.
One new national poll shows that telecommuting is becoming more commonplace. For example, nearly half (44 percent) of chief information officers (CIOs) surveyed said their companies’ IT workforce is telecommuting at a rate that is the same or higher than five years ago.
Improved retention, moral, increased productivity and better work-life balance are the biggest benefits sighted by workers and companies. If you think working from the comfort of your home might be for you, make a compelling case to convince your boss with the following:
• Evaluate Your Job. Do you spend a good portion of your day emailing colleagues and customers? Talking on the phone to vendors? Working on the computer? If so, you may be a great candidate for telecommuting.
• Present your boss with a plan – in writing. Let your boss know exactly what hours you plan on working from home, what the cost savings will be, what monetary investments (if any) would be required and the benefits to both the company and your boss of your telecommuting. If you need some juicy statistics to beef up your case, check out more about how to work from home at The Telework Coalition.
• Promise results. Your boss’s biggest concern is likely to be that instead of writing that sales proposal, you will sit around in your pajamas (or underwear) drinking beer all day long. You can help erase that image from his/her mind by agreeing to commit to measurable, weekly or daily work-from-home goals.
• Recommend a test run. If after doing all the above, you boss is still skeptical, suggest trying telecommuting out for a few weeks or a month.
Comments
Great post with useful tips. As a freelance travel writer I enjoy working in a home office.
My husband has several of his employees work part time from their homes. He would agree with you about finding the work/life balance. A happy, productive employee creates a positive work environment.
Nancy
http://www.nancydbrown.com/
Even before the recent spike in energy costs, my company, Clockwork Active Media Systems instituted a more flexible workday as a way to attract and retain top talent and keep overhead to a minimum. Telecommuting and working from home are great perks to ensure you maintain the level of quality your business is known for, while acknowledging the current economic situation and the impact it might have on your employees. It’s one small thing that makes for a huge impact on your company’s work/ life balance.
Nancy Lyons
CEO
Clockwork Active Media Systems
http://www.clockwork.net/
Great article with solid points about the increasing prevalence of telecommuting. Also, keep in mind, if your company isn't willing/able to consider allowing you to telecommute, there are more and more resources to find jobs that include or are entirely telecommuting. My favorite is FlexJobs.com, the site I started after I went through the same job search myself a couple of years ago. :-) But really, there are lots of great telecommuting jobs out there, and it's finally getting easier to find them.
Despite the technology, many employees and employers are hesitant about adopting a home telecommuting work model.
Some homes do not have adequate infrastructure (office and reliable internet). Some workers would prefer to get out of the house each day to work, and like the idea of leaving work at the office at the end of the day.
For these people, the best solution is to work from a remote office located near where they live. Remote Office Centers lease individual offices, internet and phone systems to workers from different companies in shared centers located around the suburbs.
Telecommuting is analogous to an exercise program. Some people are able to work out in their own home with home equipment. Others find they can not maintain a routine unless they go to the gym to work out.
Remote Office Centers are fairly new, but can be found on the internet by searching for "Remote Office Centers" in quotes
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Thanks again for your time
Tony
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