Before researching 'telecommuting' I did not realize how popular the trend was in today's world and how its slowly becoming the "wave of the future". (Duff, C.) The advantages of telecommuting are overwhelming not only for the employees but for the employers as well.
While the employee saves money on transportation such as fuel and parking fees, not to mention the risks of long commutes, the employer saves on property. This incentive alone is attracting large companies such as AT&T and Ernst & Young. IBM saved 15-20% in real estate by not having to provide the office spaces for telecommuting employees. (Dudman, J.) Another cost cutting advantage, the employee saves on potential day care costs while the employer cuts his costs for medical expenses (numerous sick days taken equates to a decline in productivity). In this new age of the working family and the rising of personal responsibilities, telecommuting is the answer for most employees.
Bahasa Indonesia: Bekerja di kafe dengan telecommu...
English: Ernst & Young Tower, Toronto
Downtown LA's office skyscrapers. Including the We...Companies can save thousands of dollars a year per telecommuter. (Abreu, S.)
While the advantages are numerous, the very significant disadvantages should be addressed. When a company contemplates the idea of incorporating telecommuting into its business, particular issues of communication come into play.
When talking about communication, convenience is a large factor. This brings about my first point...Accessibility (to communicate with). With the employee being out of the office, how available is he/she going to be not only to the employer but also to the client? If the employee is not accessible there is no communication bridge. Another angle to view is how dependant the employee is on the office environment. Does the employee need to access files (hard copies) in order to complete daily tasks? What about basic office tools such as the copy machine or fax?
Second, the company must decide the capability...