In this day and age, where technology has become more and more available for all to use, becoming a “work from home” employee or “teleworker” is a possibility for many employees. Although this sounds like an attractive mode for many, it is not always as easy as it sounds, as it entails a two-way compromise between the employee and the employer. There are many pros and cons for both sides, and the intention of this article is to explore some of these.

During the recent events that our world is experiencing today (March 2020) with the COVID-19 Pandemic, many people have been involuntary pushed into a temporary “work from home” mode, so that some businesses can still carry operations and so that employees can help with the mandate of social distancing through the lockdowns and curfews established by the government.  It has been an overnight change and something many are not ready for, but have had to quickly try to adapt to without too much planning or even having the right resources in place.

Under somewhat normal circumstances, the following are some of the conditions typically seen for the teleworker model:

The employer “Pros”:

o   Cost Saving – no office space required along with all cost associated with that, only minimal equipment provided to employee (computer & phone) and a possible monthly reimbursement to employee for internet/phone bills at home (not all employers do this).

o   Increased productivity and more work done – very likely that the average employee has less distractions, more time, work is always there as employee can and is sometimes expected to work anytime.  Most teleworkers do express that they find themselves working more at home than in the office, as work is always there and there is usually “no real end to the work day”.

o   Access to more resources not locally available – employers can now have resources working on projects with the necessary skills (some which may be hard to find in some markets) even if they are not physically located in their geographic area.

The employer “Cons”:

o   Difficult to manage resources and oversee daily operations, it is a fact that some employees do not have the necessary dedication and commitment for the work.

o   Security of company data, equipment can be of concern and necessary measurements and controls need to be put in place.

o   Impersonal work environment.

The employee “Pros”:

o   Flexibility – work anytime, accommodate family matters, work from anywhere if necessary

o   Productivity – no commute time, minimal interruptions throughout the day, no wasted time in the hallway chatting with coworkers

o   Cost Savings – no need to spend on gas for commuting, clothes to wear in the office and money for eating outside the house

The employee “Cons”:

o   No personal interactions, feeling of loneliness

o   Possible distractions around your home

o   Need for dedicated space, tools and supplies

How can this all come together to work for all?

Employer – establishment of rules/policy/guidelines for teleworkers and possible signed agreement.

Employee – having the right mindset, understanding of the responsibility, dedication to the work, dedicated work space, and making everyone understand at home about “work”.

Technology – having the right tools play an important part in this teleworker model, as it facilitates and allows for this to happen.  Some essential items needed:

o   High speed internet – at home or on the go

o   Equipment - Personal Computer, Tablet, Phone, Headset

o   Collaborating Tools – Email, Instant Message, Online conferences (meetings, screen sharing, whiteboards, video conferencing)

All points mentioned above can be applied to different size businesses not only large corporations.  Certainly, not all job functions qualify for the “work from home” model, but many can be adapted to. Overall many companies today are open to supporting this model and many are finding real benefits from it.   Companies that chose not to support this, may be missing out of the benefits, specially loosing access to the best qualified resources for their operations, and potentially contributing to the loose of competitiveness in some cases.

Note: The author of this article works in the Information Technology industry in Corporate America, and has been a successful teleworker working for various companies and supporting multiple clients worldwide for the past 12 years.