Tell-a-Commute - Editorial

Training & Development, July, 2001

That's Everytelecommuter on the cover--or, at least, the image of what many people think telecommuters really do while they're supposed to be working at home: eat bon-bons and watch TV in their sweats.

We followed Darin Hartley--ASTD's telecommuting new business venture developer and T D editorial board core group member--around for a day to see what life is actually like for a typical telecommuter (well, at least in front of a camera). We leave it to you to decide whether the life of a telecommuter is easier or harder than you imagined--and whether you'd ever want to try it yourself.

This issue also takes a look at how ethics can affect a company's financial picture, in Jennifer J. Salopek's article "Do the Right Thing." Frequent contributor Chip R. Bell shares how some people in his life have been unwitting and yet extremely effective mentors of customer service, changing his view of how to provide the best customer service experience. And T D associate editor William Powell interviewed Michael Simpson of Watson Wyatt Worldwide about learning executives--who they are and what role they play in managing an organization's human assets.

We also introduce a new monthly column, E-Finance, in which Jefferies & Co. stock analyst Peter L. Martin tracks trends in the e-learning market. And Samantha Chapnick (and her golden retriever Sierra) of Research Dog is back to question another popular assumption.

Next month, look in Mailbox for some feedback we've been receiving on T D's redesign. So far, it's running at a ratio of 5:1 in favor of! You can still give your input. Just email mailbox@astd.org.

Haidee E. Allerton

Editor