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The Computing Technology Industry Association reports that the demand for mobility in the workplace combined with the downturn in the economy has led to many companies developing, or enhancing their telecommuting policies.
Telecommuting offers employers the chance to save money as well as recruit from a geographically diverse—and potentially cheaper—talent pool. With fewer people in an office environment, companies can occupy a smaller space, saving money on expenses like rent, utilities, and furniture.
When developing a telecommuting policy, the first thing you need to do is clearly define job duties that can be accomplished remotely and emphasize the results you as a manager/owner need to see. It’s important to clearly communicate a well-organized concept of tasks and target deadlines and their interdependencies.
Provide your telecommuters with the tools they need, such as lap-tops, software, printers, internet connectivity, and a portal to connect to your internal network.
The key to telecommuting is trusting your people. How can you hold people responsible and accountable to you and your organization if you can’t trust them?
With telecommuting, a reasonable amount of face-to-face time should still be required. Quarterly meetings tend to be the norm.
If you get telecommuting right, you’ll have a crew of independent team members who get their jobs done efficiently and produce results to improve your bottom line.