An increasingly popular arrangement, particularly with the computer technology available today, is for employees to work from their homes instead of reporting to the organization’s facility. Obviously, this works better for some jobs than for others. However, when possible, working at home provides a number of benefits for both the employee and the organization.

Strategy
Review which jobs in your organization could possibly be performed at home. Survey employees to find out who might be interested either on a full-time or part-time basis. For example, employees might be interested in working at home only on Fridays or Mondays to be able to accommodate their weekend plans by avoiding the commute on these days. Or perhaps they have a particular personal commitment on certain days each week that working at home would accommodate. Establish policies for working at home so everyone understands what is expected. Look at the compatibility of your electronic communication systems including computers, e-mail, faxes, telephones, voice mail, and other systems. Smooth communications greatly enhance the potential of at-home work arrangements. For more information on legal issues surrounding telecommuting, read the Telework Arrangements: Legal Issues to Consider series.

Results
One benefit for working parents is that many or most of their child care problems will be addressed by working at home. It may also address many other personal needs of employees, allowing them to channel more energy and effort toward the responsibilities of the job. Working at home always reduces or eliminates the costs of commuting, not to mention the amount of time it takes each day that could be used for more productive efforts. It also frees working space at the organization’s facilities and might even provide tax breaks for employees for using their homes for business purposes. Working at home may allow certain employees to continue to work for the organization when personal circumstances might otherwise have prevented it.

This article is part of a series of telecommuting articles that are running during National Telework Week.

Related articles:

• Telework Arrangements: Legal Issues to Consider - Part I, II, III
  
• Taking A Serious Look at Telecommuting and Telework