Home work; telecommuting can improve employee morale and increase productivity

Entrepreneur, Dec, 1998 by Heather Page

Besides giving them hefty raises, perhaps the best thing you can do to keep employees productive and happy is to let some of them work from home. I should know - I recently began telecommuting myself. Today's workers demand more flexibility in their jobs, and telecommuting provides just that, thus allowing them to spend more time with their families. It also improves their productivity by helping them avoid a hectic - and often distracting - work environment.

Telecommuting doesn't pay off just for employees, however: Companies with telecommuting programs typically experience a reduction in lost time and the costs involved with commuting, sick leave and employee turnover.

Instituting a telecommuting program slashes office space and furniture costs, too. When expensive office space became a real concern for ConnexT Corp., a fast-growing Seattle-based company that provides software and services to the utility industry, it created an on-site telecommuting center, which features an advanced wireless data network. The center supplements telecommuting by providing a place where home-based employees can meet and work with each other. It now supports roughly 20 percent of the company's work force, helping it save on office expenses: Without the center, ConnexT would need seven floors of office space; they now use only four.

"We've been able to reduce costs, use less space and allow people to commute less," says 44-year-old president and CEO Robert Bismuth. "It's really quite a dramatic difference."

While most small companies don't have a need for a telecommuting center of this kind, many can reap similar rewards by allowing employees to work from home, typically from one to three days a week. If you're considering this option, first examine the scope of your proposed telecommuting program. Then look at such issues as the type of hardware and applications you'll need and whether remote access to your on-site network will be necessary.

TECHNOLOGY FIRST

Choosing the right technology is crucial to the success of any telecommuting program. At a minimum, every employee will need a PC, a modem and probably a printer. You may find you'll need to provide equipment and pay for additional phone/data lines as well.

Remote access software that allows off-site workers to access office-based applications and files, transfer files, and keep files synchronized on both host and remote systems is another consideration. There are two kinds of remote access software: Remote control software provides direct dial-in access to a networked workstation through a modem connected to that workstation, while remote node software provides access to the network through a shared modem or communications server.

One remote access program to look at is Symantec's pcANYWHERE32 8.0 for Windows 95/98/NT ($170) (www.symantec.com). This program supports both remote control and remote node access software.

To transfer files between office and home computers, simply drag and drop them onto your hard drive. The synchronization feature creates identical files on two PCs so there's no duplication. Users can also remotely launch programs on their office PCs simply by clicking on the pcANYWHERE32 connection icon. You don't have to jump through hoops to configure this program, either. Home-based employees can get up and running with one-click Quick Start wizards that quickly and easily guide you through the process.

Another remote access program, CoSession Remote 32 V8 for Windows 95/NT ($69 for a one-user version; $579 for a 10-user version) from Artisoft (www.artisoft. com), has basic drag-and-drop file transfer capabilities as well as file synchronization capabilities. It also contains a neat Voice Chat feature so you can talk with another party while accessing his or her PC remotely (sound card and microphone required).

Modems for Internet access and connecting to your network, if necessary, are the next pieces of technology to put in place. If telecommuters have basic e-mail and Internet access needs, a 36K or 56K modem with a dial-up account through an ISP will probably suffice. If they have more advanced needs, however, such as access to office-based files, it may be worth the extra cost to invest in a speedier ISDN line. To set this up, have your employees ask their local telephone companies to install a digital line and provide the proper equipment.

FAX ON DEMAND

Next, there's the matter of faxing. You have the option of purchasing either a stand-alone fax machine or a PC faxing program like Symantec's WinFax PRO 9.0 for Windows 95/98/NT ($119). WinFax PRO allows you to send and receive electronic documents directly from your desktop. New features of WinFax PRO include an improved Send screen that makes it easier to compose and edit a fax before it's addressed and sent, and pager support for automatic notification when you've received an important fax. Other useful features: low-cost Internet faxing and easy integration with phone books, contact management programs and external databases.