Telecommuting 101: from convincing your boss to gearing up at home, here's everything you need to know to launch a more flexible work life

Home Office Computing, Sept, 1998 by Dave Johnson

From convincing your boss to gearing up at home, here's everything you need to know to launch a more flexible work life

Are you envious that your neighbor rarely leaves his house in the morning? Is your daily office commute starting to wear you down? Did you miss your kids science fair because you had to stay late at the office? Whatever the reasons, you may be ready to incorporate telecommuting into your work schedule.

Today's knowledge workers are ideal candidates for splitting time between a central office and the comfort and convenience of their own homes. Back in 1980, the Census Bureau reported that two million people worked at home. Last year, the advocacy group Telecommute America counted 11 million at-home corporate workers.

Although telecommuting is one of the fastest growing business trends, not every line of work is conducive to it. As the telecommuting manager at one large company joked, "We don't let our pilots telecommute." But if you think you're ready for telecommuting, then you'll need to know how to proceed. In the following pages, we explore the tantalizing mysteries of that 30-second commute.

Popping the Question

More often than not, the employee, not the employer, raises the issue of telecommuting. Wait for the boss to suggest it, and you may die of old age first. How do you broach the subject? For starters, put yourself in your boss's shoes. "When we first instituted telecommuting, we were worried that productivity might suffer," says Don Evans, operations manager for Southern California's Underground Service Alert (USA), a company that services excavators and underground line owner/operators. "We believed it would certainly solve our office space problem and even reduce expenses, but at what cost? Could the company maintain its high level of productivity? Could employees be counted on to perform their duties with integrity while working away from the management team? Would USA's quality of service remain high?"

Clearly, these questions reflect some pervasive employer concerns about telecommuting's viability. So structure your proposal to explain why telecommuting is good for the company--not why it's convenient for you. Make sure, too, you're a good candidate for telecommuting. As Gil Gordon, a prominent telecommuting consultant for employers, says, "Look in the mirror and ask, 'Would I let me telecommute?'" Have you been with the company long enough--six months, at least--and are you reliable, dependable, and mature? If so, then make sure you consider these points before you march into the boss's office.

Go in with a plan, not a request. "It's always easier to ask for approval than permission," says Gordon. Explain what you want to do and why.

Start modestly. Ask for a one-month pilot program that's no more than a day each week. Four telecommuting days per month is almost risk-free from the employer's perspective.

Give competitive examples of telecommuting. "This is an effective method, especially among conservative companies," says June Langhoff, author of The Telecommuter's Advisor newsletter. If you can show that other, similar companies are already doing it, then that reduces the perceived risk.

State the stats. In addition to laying out your plan, include statistics on how telecommuting benefits your specific kind of company. "If you're a new mother, don't say that you want to stay home with your baby," says Langhoff. "Explain how being at home will make you more productive."

Laying the Groundwork

Once you get approved, the terms of the telecommuting agreement need to be spelled out in some detail. The more effort you put into the plan at the outset, the more likely it will succeed. "First, be honest about up-front costs," advises Langhoff. Telework may save your boss money in the long run, but initially it may cost more. Will you need a company-provided laptop or second PC, for instance, or can you use your own? It isn't uncommon for telecommuting-friendly companies to provide a PC. As for office supplies and other equipment, you might be able to negotiate an annual bonus that covers some of these costs. Says Gordon, "If your employer gives you, say, $2,500 upon the start of employment, you at least have some extra cash in hand and a bit more peace of mind. If the company is smart, it will realize a signing bonus is financially better for the firm--it allows it to avoid building more money into the base salary, which men gets compounded as salary increases add on each year."

Connecting with the central office should also be addressed. The Williams Co., a Tulsa utility company with 15 telecommuters, has several tiers of connectivity in which it agrees to cover expenses like a second phone line or ISDN service, depending upon the employee's needs. But your boss may feel he's entitled to visit you in your home on telecommuting days, so you should establish when and how often that can occur--and whether you require advance warning. In addition, agree on how "in touch" you need to be. It might be appropriate to spell out how frequently you'll check e-mail or voice-mail messages, particularly if your job takes you away from the computer.