Comments on: Telecommuting: Your new recruiting tool?

By: Karen O'Neill

Karen O'Neill — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:56:05 +0000

Successful telecommuting requires two things: 1) reliable, credible methods of measuring results, and 2) managers who live in the 21st century. As long as managers can’t differentiate between tasks and results, the “while the cats away, the mice will play” mantra will continue. The future of most work that does not require face to face interaction is telecommuting because of the huge cost saving, environmental, and recruiting benefits.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:42:56 +0000

Well, you obviously had a very bad experience and it is these bad experiences that keep employers from making this shift. It takes a very committed and responsible person to telecommute. I personally have been telecommuting, as a Director of a large software company, for almost 11 years and have been very successful. The key to hiring someone who will telecommute, or allowing an existing staff member to telecommute, is to look at the “soft skills” and track record. Telecommuting is something that is and should still be earned. When hiring an external candidate, hire someone who has telecommuted in the past. When allowing an internal candidate to shift to a telecommute schedule, look at this person’s internal track record for a heightened sense of responsibility (i.e. will this person work later to make the deadline, is the person committed to quality and does this person ‘own’ his/her set of responsibilities as part of the larger company objective. I also must preface that not all jobs in this world are ideal for telecommuting (as referenced by you), but every industry has a set of jobs that definitely could qualify.
It is not easy to weed out those who’d prefer to take advantage of the perceived new-found freedom. It takes someone special who is willing to proof that his/her employer made the right decision allowing them to telecommute. Between you and I, I spend at least 2-3 more hours working per day since I started telecommuting. So there definitely is a huge added benefit to the employer so as long as you select the right person for such an opportunity.

By: P.J. O'Connor

P.J. O'Connor — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:39:14 +0000

Sorry, but unless the employee is a disabled person, I doubt very if much you are getting the efficiency / productivity by allowing employees to telecommute as a whole. We have tried this concept in one department with disastrous results. Not only were deadlines missed, employees became too complacent and at times unreachable via phone. In fact, executives ran into these folks during work hours at coffee shops, etc. If every department was able to work from home, I doubt the Company would be in business too long. And if you allow some departments to function this way and not others, what kind of morale issues do you think you would have to face in the future, not excluding claims of discrimination, high turnover, and a group of disgruntled at work employees.
Whomever conducted this study certainly didn’t talk to large manufacturers who provide products and services, where immediate face to face interaction and communication are critical for maintaining a successful and profitable company.
Remember … the old saying; : “When the cat is a way, the mouse will play” … this is true in many telecommuting arrangements. How many of these telecommuters would like to have their productivity measured by industrial engineers vs. those at work?
Thank you,