Other Modes

Telecommuting

Telecommuting is a work arrangement where an employee regularly works           at an alternate work site or at home.  There are numerous benefits to   telecommuting, not only for employees but also for employers.

Benefits - What's in it for you and your organization?

• Greater employee productivity and work quality
• Increased ability to attract and keep valued employees
• Improved employee morale and job satisfaction
• Increased access to new labor markets (disabled, part-time, semi-retired)
• Less sick leave and reduced absenteeism
• Reduced office and parking space needs
• Increased ability to meet air quality or transportation mandates

What's in it for your employees?

• Improved work environment
• Improved morale
• Greater job satisfaction and sense of accomplishment
• Greater responsibility and feeling of trust
• More lifestyle flexibility
• Less commuting time, stress, and cost

Tips for starting a telecommuting program

Below are a few tips that can help organizations consider whether telecommuting is appropriate for their workplace and how to develop a long-term program.

Decide if telecommuting is appropriate — there are some types of businesses where telecommuting is not necessarily beneficial or feasible.

Set Clear Guidelines and Polices — studies show that clear guidance and direction increase the chances of success for any program. Managers and Supervisors are key players in the telecommute process and should set the parameters and define telework policies for their organizations before implementation.

Determine Needs — determine the level of technological support needed to allow employees to work from home. For example, computers, printers, telephones, etc.

Stay Informed — stay informed of your telecommuter’s workload and status of projects by establishing a strong communication process.

Manage Your Telecommuters — manage telecommuters the same way you manage other employees. Telecommuters are not performing different work, they are doing the same work just in a different location.

Judge Performance by Results — managers should judge an employee’s performance by results, not observation. Measure the employee’s performance by looking at the quality and timeliness of the end product.

Evaluate Results — when evaluating the effectiveness of telecommuting within your organization, consider whether it positively impacts these key issues: productivity, operating costs, employee morale, recruitment, and retention. Also, consider how it benefits overall community concerns such as traffic flow, air pollution, and mass transit use.

Flexible Work Arrangements
Flexible work arrangements include telecommuting, flexible work hours

(flex time), compressed work week, and staggered shifts.

• Telecommutingsee the Telecommuting information above.

• Flexible work hourscan shift some travel to less congested, non-peak commute times. This means that employees are allowed some flexibility in their daily work schedules. For example, rather than all employees working 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., some work 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and others 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

• Compressed Work Week (CWW)means that employees work fewer but longer days, such as four 10-hour days each week (4/40), or 9-hour days with one day off every two weeks (9/80).

Flextime and Compressed Work Week are usually implemented as an employee and manager option (both employees and their managers must agree). They may vary from day-to-day or week-to-week, and are typically implemented as part of a Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) program.