a discussion of applicable technology for telecommuting that has been employed successfully at companies like AT&T and IBM. Recommendations will be provided for successful implementation of telecommuting in the workplace. A conclusion will discuss the likely future scenario of telecommuting in the American workplace.
Though telecommuting sounds like some complicated or technological phenomenon, it is in actuality merely creating a virtual work environment where employees can work anywhere they want, any time they want, and, therefore, be more motivated and productive in both their professional and personal lives. While the technology driving telecommuting may be complex from a technological point-of-view, telecommuting in and of itself is not. The employee merely connects to customers, suppliers, vendors, the office or all of them via technological devices like cell phones, laptop computers, personal computers, palmcorders of a host of others. So basically whether a person is sitting on a boat in the middle of the Caribbean or sitting in their pajamas with their children at home, they can be working if they chose to do so. As Apicella (et al) notes, “For employees, telecommuting can be a huge boon, allowing them to live anywhere they choose and forgo the frustrations usually associated with a good job in a crowded city” (1).
For employers, telecommuting offers a variety of advantages. Promotional campaign to gain public favor could advertise the fact that the firm reduces pollution, tax savings (less wear and tear on highways and roads), and helps minimize urban sprawl by adopting telecommuting. So, too, employers gain productivity from employees who are not only more motivated and happy but are able to align their personal goals with corporate goals. Many employees are less productive because they wish to spend time with their families, but telecommuting allows both issues to be resolved. Companies are able to dr...