Impact of Telecommuting on Workers, Employers, and Society

Impact of Telecommuting on Workers, Employers, and Society

Eddie Hill

University of Phoenix

Dr. Baji Daniels

October 18, 2003

Abstract

Telecommuting is a growing trend, not only in the United States, but also around the world. This trend towards telecommuting is affecting workers, employees, society, and technological needs and products. As popularity expands, people are becoming increasingly aware of the pros and cons associated with this style of work. Legal concerns regarding telecommuting are coming to the forefront of the employment sector's attention, as more and more organizations and employees consider the option of the telecommuting. As the number of telecommuter is likely to continue to increase over the coming years, it is important to understand its impact on the various aspects of our lives.

Impact of Telecommuting on Workers, Employers, and Society

Jack Nilles is credited with coining the terms "telecommuting" and "teleworking", in 1973, during the first documented pilot- telecommuting- project with a major national insurance company (JALA).

Bahasa Indonesia: Bekerja di kafe dengan telecommu...

English: Chart of United States Personal Savings R...

English: Empire, LA, December 7, 2005 - Air qualit...

The terms "telework" and "telecommuting" are often used interchangeably to mean any official work that is being conducted away from an employee's official duty station and at some alternate work site, regardless of whether that location is a home office or some other form of a telework center. Many prefer the word "telework", as it appears to be a more accurate description of the concept. The "tele" prefix means "distance," so the "telework" combination would refer to "work at a distance." The "telework" advocates also believe that the term "telecommuting" has too strong a connotation about the commuting aspect, and that "telework" is a broader and more inclusive terms (Gordon, 2002). Nevertheless, the more common term "telecommuting" will refer to work completed outside of a traditional office environment.

One distinction important to note would be that telecommuting relates the utilization...