Telecommuting Basics

Working at home is often also called telecommuting, but many people also use the word to mean working some of the time at home but having to go in to the office regularly. In this section, I will be focusing on finding jobs that fit into this second category, as well as finding ways to get permission to telecommute from your current job.

Many of the more challenging jobs that can be done from home fall into this category. They cannot be done 100% from home, as it is more effective to meet with coworkers in person at times or there may be other reasons to require meetings in person.

Perhaps one of the greatest challenges to getting a telecommuting position started is figuring out how to handle supervision, and this is why so many employers are reluctant to allow telecommuting. However, studies have found that employees can be more productive when telecommuting. On the other hand, it has also been found that some employees work very few hours when allowed to work at home, due to various distractions.

For both employee and employer there can be many benefits to telecommuting. It saves gas. The telecommuter doesn't have to waste time in traffic. The employer gets a happier, more productive employee.

Now, obviously not all jobs are suited to allowing telecommuting. Any job where face to face interaction is a must or any time physical documents must be handled regularly telecommuting just is not going to work.

If you want to telecommute, it is vital that your expectations be realistic. Most jobs that are normally done in the office won't allow 100% telecommute, especially if you haven't proven yourself productive on telecommute days yet. You'll probably have to agree to a certain number of days, a review process and so forth. You also can't assume that you'll be productive with the kids underfoot. Daycare is still a must for most people who telecommute.

You also need to be aware of the hazards of telecommuting. It means your work is right there, in your home, and it can be all too easy to work more hours than you should.

 

Related Articles

How to Propose Telecommuting
One of the tricks to getting started as a telecommuter is getting your boss to agree to let you telecommute even part of the time.

What Kinds of Jobs are Good for Telecommuting?
Some jobs are well suited to a telecommuting arrangement while others are not. Learn the signs of a job that has the potential to work with a telecommuting arrangement.

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