Understanding the Advantages of Telecommuting

Introduction

Experts believe that there are many advantages of telecommuting, especially in today’s world. Thankfully, the advancement of technology has added the great benefit of being able to work from virtually anywhere. That’s why many companies are coming to the realization that employees can be just productive while working out of their own home offices. A recent Gallup poll has revealed that

majority of Americans believe that telecommuters are just as productive, as their counterparts who work in an office. On the other hand, please keep in mind that there are some distinct disadvantages of telecommuting; however depending on your level of discipline, you might find that this option has no adverse effect on your particular lifestyle at all.

If you are deciding whether telecommuting is right for you, here are some of the advantages:

Reduction in out-of-pocket cost or expenses.

Employees who telecommute, save a substantial amount of money in out-of-pocket expenses. Specifically, automobile fuel and maintenance cost are lower for individuals who do not have to travel to the office everyday, in comparison to employees who commute to work on a daily basis. Also, employees who telecommute have the luxury of eating lunch at home and are less likely to leave their home to buy lunch.

Allows for a flexible schedule.

Flexibility is one of the main reasons that people enjoy telecommuting. That is, people who work from home are able to schedule their work around personal commitments or family activities. As long as their task are completed in a timely manner, many times telecommuters are given the opportunity to dictate their own working schedule. Also, more than ever, families are longing to spend more time with each other and telecommuting is one way that most people can accomplish this goal while working full-time.

Increases employee productivity.

It has been statistically proven that productivity increases by 20% when employees are able to telecommute, says Jack Nilles a telecommuting consultant. Experts state that this is due to the fact that employees are having less “drop in” interruptions and meetings to attend. Thus, this allows them to focus on the task at hand with fewer distractions. Of course, it is important to note that not every employee will have increased productivity, due to the fact that self-discipline and task management is directly related to each individual’s ability to supervise themselves.

Retention of up-beat and skilled employees.

Employees who are considered valuable to their companies are more often given the opportunity to work from home as an added benefit. This opportunity is usually offered when employees have the responsibility of caring for kids or elderly parents. Therefore,

companies will offer this convenience to their employees so that they will continue working for the company. This results in a less stressful life for the employee as they are able to take care of both their home and work responsibilities. Similarly, it also is a good fit for the company because they are able to retain a good and valuable employee.

Conclusion

As you can expect, there are always pros and cons to anything in life. So why would telecommuting be anything different? So, if you are determining whether telecommuting is the lifestyle for you, then it is most prudent to weigh your options. That is, you should consider the advantages of telecommuting and the disadvantages of telecommuting before making your decision. You never know, telecommuting could be the opportunity that you’ve always longed for!

References:

https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/small/Sm-Z/Telecommuting.html

https://www.internetbasedmoms.com/work-from-home/telecommuting-advantages-disadvantages.html

https://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1563/is_n10_v8/ai_8900864/

https://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1563/is_n12_v9/ai_11575634/

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