http://bit.ly/aeaXjo

Easy Small Business HR1

The Pros and Cons

of Telecommuting

for Employers

Special Report From: EasySmallBusinessHR.com

Whether you're a manager interested in boosting productivity or a new

parent who wants to find a way to work while spending time at home,

telecommuting has become very popular in the workplace.

But for employees and employers alike, telecommuting can be

challenging; especially for those accustomed to traditional office settings.

As with most things, there are both pros and cons. Let's start with the

pluses of telecommuting:

Recruitment & Retention Tool

When it comes to telecommuting pros and cons, one overlooked

advantage is telecommuting can be a great tool for attracting and keeping

employees within your company. Attracting high quality staff is always a

challenge, no matter the state of the labor market. By giving staff the

Easy Small Business HR2

option to work from their home, it becomes easier to attract those

prospective employees searching for the right balance between work and

home life.

Increased Productivity

Telecommuting arrangements decrease down time for employees. After

all, taking a few steps from the kitchen into a home office is more

productive than sitting on the freeway for an hour. Telecommuting also

allows employers to access staff outside of traditional working hours,

which is critical in some sectors, such as IT. In addition, work-from-home

arrangements benefit employees, who may find the wider range of work

hours adds flexibility to their schedule. For instance, a team member may

be able to attend an aging parent's morning doctor appointment and catch

up on business later in the evening.

Financial Savings

Companies that allow employees to work from home can save on

overhead costs such as lights, heat, office space, office furniture, even

office supplies.

Some cons of telecommuting include--

Potential Decrease in Satisfaction Among Co-Workers

No matter how advanced technology becomes, it still doesn't quite beat

face-to-face interactions. In a traditional office setting, employees engage

each other in a lunch room, chat in a hallway, or interact in any number of

Easy Small Business HR3

ways. And they don't just talk shop either. Small talk when limited, can be

a healthy part of the office culture.

Telecommuting limits these vital communications. In fact, one study by

the Lally School of Management & Technology at Rensselaer Polytechnic

Institute found that in-office staff reported a decrease in satisfaction with

work-at-home colleagues. Why the dissatisfaction? Perhaps because

office-based employees perceive telecommuters have more freedom. For

telecommuting employees, then, one of the disadvantages of working from

home may be dealing with the misconceptions and grumblings of in-office

colleagues.

Lost Opportunities for Team Building

Another disadvantage of working from home is that it can eliminate

bonding time that is essential for building a cohesive team. Managers with

a blended staff may need to schedule face-to-face time to nurture the team

culture.

Lack of Clear Guidelines for Employees

Some companies that support telecommuting may not have clear

guidelines in place. It's important to have clearly written and

communicated policies related to telecommuting. If employees aren't told

that they should be reachable during business hours, or that they may need

to come into the office for scheduled meetings, it can create frustration

and misunderstandings about the role of the employer and the employee in

a telecommuting situation.

Easy Small Business HR4

Is Telecommuting Right for Your Business?

The answer is, quite simply, do your homework to learn more about the

pros and cons of telecommuting based the mission, vision, values and

culture of your company, your recruitment and retention goals, and

workplace productivity and customer service.

If you carefully consider telecommuting advantages and disadvantages

and decide that it is the right choice, you may just find that work at home

arrangements can be a very productive and profitable arrangement for both

you and your employees.

Easy Small Business HR5