Ever dream of working from home? If so, here are some of the good things and bad things about being a virtual worker.
Feeling guilty about teleworking? Concerned what co-workers and the boss might think? This can be real dilemma for virtual workers who have the opportunity to conduct their business from someplace other than at the same work site each day.
However, while there are some really positive aspects to teleworking, there are also some things that workers need to keep in mind. Here, then, is the good and the bad about working virtually.
The Upside of Teleworking
Working from home has always been one of those rare benefits that few people have the opportunity to explore -- either their organization does not embrace the idea or their position does not fit the specifications of virtual work. Here are the benefits of teleworking:
- For people who want to keep their current job or career but are in a situation which requires them to relocate for their family, working virtually may be the solution. Technology has gone a long way in keeping people connected.
- A 2007 study commissioned by the Consumer Electronics Association shows that teleworking reduced gasoline consumption by 840 gallons in addition to a reduction in CO2 emissions. This same study indicated that teleworking also saves enough energy to power one million U.S. households for a year.
- More teleworkers in the home means fewer cars on the road resulting in less traffic and less traffic accidents.
- A 2007 survey by Kenexa Corporation indicated that 70% of home-based workers were proud to say where they worked. Good news for employers: adding a work-at-home policy may not only retain good employees, it may attract new ones.
The Downside of Teleworking
Here is the downside to working virtually:
- According to a 2007 study by the Journal of Applied Psychology working around others has a positive impact on people and those who choose to telework are less loyal, less productive and will be unhappier in the long run.
- Working from home is not right for everyone because it’s easy to lose focus, teamwork and collaboration seem like a thing of the past, and anyone who is not self-motived will find it difficult to remain productive.
- Fewer people are choosing roles in middle management, and USAToday says it is because they lose out on benefits such as flex time and teleworkng.
What to Do as a Teleworker
The truth of the matter is that management still does not trust people to really work when they are away from the office. So in order to ensure that management knows workers are pulling their weight, they have to prove it. Consider taking these steps:
- Be productive. Prove how much work is being completed by executing projects in a professional and timely manner and tracking how time is spent on each item. Submit a regular progress report.
- Stay in contact. Call, email, fax, text, whatever it takes, stay in contact with the boss and the office to ensure they know the status of all projects. Keep people in the loop.
- Establish goals. Just like a sales representative has to produce results to receive his commission, establish goals and deadlines so there is no question about the amount of work accomplished.
- Make an appearance. Give some face time. Don’t be completely invisible. Go into the office from time to time for staff meetings or even to share in a pot luck lunch.
While working virtually sounds like a great idea, it isn’t right for every person or every position. It’s just a matter of looking at all angles to decide.
