TMCnet's Brendan Read today covered the news that The Telework Coalition (TelCoa), a Washington, D.C. based telework education and advocacy organization, has released a list of top ten reasons to have employees work from home.
I think the list is fine -- and overall I agree with its points. But for each of the points it raises I also see some challenges that could hinder the growth and adoption of teleworking solutions.
Just for the heck of it, I'll go through the list and offer my two cents for each of the points:
I think the list is fine -- and overall I agree with its points. But for each of the points it raises I also see some challenges that could hinder the growth and adoption of teleworking solutions.
Just for the heck of it, I'll go through the list and offer my two cents for each of the points:
For the Employer and the Economy:
1. Improve the ability to recruit and retain skilled labor for enhanced productivity, creativity, and higher quality work from anywhere in the U.S.
I'm still not entirely convinced this is true. For one thing, just because there are qualified applicants for positions who live far from your offices (and are therefore unable to work on-site) it does not necessarily mean all these applicants want work-at-home jobs. Yes, it's true that you've broken down the geographic factors that inhibit recruitment, but saying your labor pool is now "everyone who is qualified" regardless of where they live is a misnomer, because not everyone who is qualified necessarily wants to work from home. Also, with a majority of "work-at-home" offers out there being scams, it's sometimes difficult to get good applicants to believe that the job you're offering is legit.
I'm still not entirely convinced this is true. For one thing, just because there are qualified applicants for positions who live far from your offices (and are therefore unable to work on-site) it does not necessarily mean all these applicants want work-at-home jobs. Yes, it's true that you've broken down the geographic factors that inhibit recruitment, but saying your labor pool is now "everyone who is qualified" regardless of where they live is a misnomer, because not everyone who is qualified necessarily wants to work from home. Also, with a majority of "work-at-home" offers out there being scams, it's sometimes difficult to get good applicants to believe that the job you're offering is legit.
2. Provide the necessary competitive advantage and the ability to win in an increasingly regionalized/globalized economy by repatriating many of the hundreds of thousands of jobs that have been sent offshore
Frankly, I don't get this point. Won't companies still have to pay U.S. workers at competitive rates, even though they work at home? If workers in the Philippines work at lower rates, then why not have them as your teleworkers? When it comes to the economics of labor, I don't see how teleworking and "repatriation" are related.
Frankly, I don't get this point. Won't companies still have to pay U.S. workers at competitive rates, even though they work at home? If workers in the Philippines work at lower rates, then why not have them as your teleworkers? When it comes to the economics of labor, I don't see how teleworking and "repatriation" are related.
3. Reduce real estate, facilities, and other overhead expenses
Okay this point I agree with completely - and it's so self-evident, how could I not? But it's only a positive thing for the employers, not the employees: If companies aren't paying for the space, then the teleworker is. For example, if you are required to have a separate office for your work-at-home job, then you are paying taxes (yes, I know you can get a tax break, but you're not fully exempt), homeowner's insurance, on the square footage, not to mention utilities such as heat and electricity. This is where teleworking becomes a sweet deal for organizations - they don't have to pay to operate as much facility, instead, they pass this cost onto the teleworker, often without additional compensation.
Okay this point I agree with completely - and it's so self-evident, how could I not? But it's only a positive thing for the employers, not the employees: If companies aren't paying for the space, then the teleworker is. For example, if you are required to have a separate office for your work-at-home job, then you are paying taxes (yes, I know you can get a tax break, but you're not fully exempt), homeowner's insurance, on the square footage, not to mention utilities such as heat and electricity. This is where teleworking becomes a sweet deal for organizations - they don't have to pay to operate as much facility, instead, they pass this cost onto the teleworker, often without additional compensation.
For the Employee:
4. Increase work/life balance, become self reliant, reduce stress, realize the opportunity to participate in local activities, and further one's education
I'm not sure this is really true. Just because you work at home doesn't necessarily mean your job will be any less stressful. Nor does it necessarily mean you'll have more time to do other things - that's really more a function of how long your commute is, as opposed to your workload. I guess if you have a long commute, it's definitely an advantage. Also, in most positions, if you come to an agreement with your employer to reduce your workload, you typically get paid less, and if you drop below 35 hours a week you might be denied benefits.
I'm not sure this is really true. Just because you work at home doesn't necessarily mean your job will be any less stressful. Nor does it necessarily mean you'll have more time to do other things - that's really more a function of how long your commute is, as opposed to your workload. I guess if you have a long commute, it's definitely an advantage. Also, in most positions, if you come to an agreement with your employer to reduce your workload, you typically get paid less, and if you drop below 35 hours a week you might be denied benefits.
5. Retain a larger percentage of earnings for a higher quality of life
I'd like to see some statistics to back this up. From what I understand, most teleworkers get paid less than their counterparts who work in the office (can you name company that pays them the same or more?). And a lot of the time they don't get company benefits such as health insurance, which means the individual has to pay for it at higher, non-group rates. The main thing teleworkers save money on is transportation costs. Maybe your lunches are a little cheaper, too, since you can make them at home. I think it all comes out in the wash.
I'd like to see some statistics to back this up. From what I understand, most teleworkers get paid less than their counterparts who work in the office (can you name company that pays them the same or more?). And a lot of the time they don't get company benefits such as health insurance, which means the individual has to pay for it at higher, non-group rates. The main thing teleworkers save money on is transportation costs. Maybe your lunches are a little cheaper, too, since you can make them at home. I think it all comes out in the wash.
6. Provide hope and economic opportunity, especially in hard-hit rural areas for all workers and expand these opportunities to include:
(a) Military-service disabled veterans and others with disabilities
(b) Older workers who desire to remain in or need to reenter the workforce due to reduced retirement funds caused by the current economic conditions, and for part-time employment reducing reliance on costly publically funded benefit programs
I agree with this point fully. I think teleworking is a great solution for companies looking to recruit in rural areas. The big question is, will you find the talent you need in Northern Montana?
For the Environment and within Communities:
7. Lower carbon footprints, greenhouse gas emissions, and improved air quality
Again, this is a good point and I agree with it fully. But teleworking will only reduce air pollution if we can get a significant portion of the population to work from home. One or two percent probably won't make that much of a difference.
Again, this is a good point and I agree with it fully. But teleworking will only reduce air pollution if we can get a significant portion of the population to work from home. One or two percent probably won't make that much of a difference.
8. Reduce dependence on foreign energy, especially petroleum products
Also a good point - but the debate over where we buy oil from, and whether we should, is kind of a separate topic.
Also a good point - but the debate over where we buy oil from, and whether we should, is kind of a separate topic.
9. Have fewer traffic accidents, less congestion, and reduce the need for maintaining costly transportation infrastructures
Also a good point - and very closely related to #7.
Also a good point - and very closely related to #7.
10. Decrease the impact from disruptive occurrences. These range from terrorist attacks, natural incidents such as severe weather conditions, pandemics, transit strikes, and bridge collapses to everyday situations such as family needs, traffic congestion, and car trouble, through the use of a widely dispersed workforce.
I understand the concept of, and importance of, business continuity - and in general I agree with this point - but here is something else to think about: If your workforce a spread out everywhere, you might actually be increasing the risk of certain workers not being able to work. For example, you could have three agents who live on the South Carolina coast, and when a hurricane hits, you lose those three workers for the day. But if your headquarters was in Colorado, and you kept all your workers "on site," then you would never incur the risk of losing those three teleworkers in S.C., right? So just the same way there is risk of keeping "all your eggs in one basket," there is also a risk that one of the above-mentioned disasters will impact your workforce to some degree, if it is more geographically spread out. Then you have the challenge of reallocating resources, which is never as easy as they say it is.
I understand the concept of, and importance of, business continuity - and in general I agree with this point - but here is something else to think about: If your workforce a spread out everywhere, you might actually be increasing the risk of certain workers not being able to work. For example, you could have three agents who live on the South Carolina coast, and when a hurricane hits, you lose those three workers for the day. But if your headquarters was in Colorado, and you kept all your workers "on site," then you would never incur the risk of losing those three teleworkers in S.C., right? So just the same way there is risk of keeping "all your eggs in one basket," there is also a risk that one of the above-mentioned disasters will impact your workforce to some degree, if it is more geographically spread out. Then you have the challenge of reallocating resources, which is never as easy as they say it is.
Like I said, I think these are all great points -- and I know where this report is coming from. But the report fails to address two of the biggest factors that are inhibiting the adoption and growth of teleworking solutions: The ability to monitor employee productivity and network security. (Sorry, I'll have to save those two topics for future posts ... ).
I wish TelCoa would publish a similar report, only this time identifying the top ten challenges to making teleworking more viable, and how these challenges can be overcome.
I wish TelCoa would publish a similar report, only this time identifying the top ten challenges to making teleworking more viable, and how these challenges can be overcome.
Yeah, I agree with you. We can easily earn money from home. And also we can do many type of works from home. These days, many redundant executives are setting themselves up as “consultants” in the spare room of their main residence. Many Companies and governments are encouraging the habit too.“Employers are looking at home-based work because there’s a cost saving. Some employers can’t offer pay rises but they can offer flexibility instead. And it can be a nice way to work.”
At the same time we should be very careful on money transferring time. Because some times our informations can easily stolen by some one like our money transferring, Billing transferring, Invoice report transferring via online.
So we can use these site to protect our data from these activities.http://tiny.cc/pnWki
And also these site will provide some ideas about money making, home based business, etc..