Observations of a Telecommuter

Training & Development, July, 2001 by Darin E. Hartley

Here are just some of the comments I've heard about telecommuting:

"How can you stand being home with your husband/wife that much?"

"I couldn't work like that because I need to talk to people. I'm social."

"Do you wear your pajamas all day?"

"It must be a dream working at home. I wish I could do it."

"How can you get anything done? I need to be at the office."

"What happens when you have a computer problem?"

"Do you really work, or do you just watch daytime television?"

As you can see, many telecommuting misconceptions are floating around. The reality is that there's a positive and a negative side to the whole telecommuting thing. A person's personality and motivation, and his or her home office infrastructure, play a large part in whether working remotely turns out to be a good thing or a bad thing.

In January 2001, I left Dell Computer Corporation after more than five years to join ASTD as the developer of new business ventures. One of the major tenets of the Dell Business Model is to keep capital costs low. That's accomplished partly by not spending heavily on fancy office space. Most Dell employees, including directors and vice presidents, work in cubicles. While at Dell, I worked in various offices and shared offices as well as cubicles. It's something you learn to appreciate because it's part of the company's business model. When the opportunity to work at ASTD came, I knew I would be telecommuting about three-quarters of the time. I had to figure out how to do that. And I'm going to share here what I've learned so far.

But first, why are we seeing an increase in telecommuting? I asked Gil Gordon, author of Turn It Off: How to Unplug From the Anytime-Anywhere Office Without Disconnecting Your Career. He gave these major reasons:

* Companies can recruit and keep the best talent when they offer telecommuting.

* Companies can save money on capital expenditures such as office space, parking, and so forth.

* Employees who telecommute can be more efficient and productive.

What's more, as metropolitan traffic continues to become more congested, some state and local governments may invest money in telecommuting incentives and infrastructure rather than build more roads.

What it's really like

Telecommuting isn't just rolling out of bed and picking up the phone to make calls. It is working, just remotely. It is, however, different from working in an office. One, your commute is shorter--from your bedroom to perhaps the den. No one can dictate what you can have on your desk or walls--a point that resonates with other telecommuters I talk with. You create the atmosphere you want with art, objects, music, or whatever.

Your home office can be quieter than an office workspace, and that will probably increase your efficiency. You'll eat lunch out less often, saving money, and you can drink whatever kind of coffee you like instead of the office brew. The phrase casual business attire has new meaning, and you avoid much of the office infighting and politics. You can become closer with your spouse, children, or significant other. Those are some positive things about telecommuting.

The catch? You need strong self-discipline and initiative. Without those, your telecommuting experience is going to be tough. After all, you set your own schedule and there's no one watching when you start and stop.

Another problem is that some people assume telecommuters are on call 24/7. There's no clear division between work time and nonwork time. These days, that's true in a way for all workers but more so for telecommuters. For example, this morning about early-thirty, I stumbled out of bed and ran through the dark house to get to the phone, only to receive a call from overseas by a fellow who just wanted my voicemail but got me so we ended up talking a while.

As a telecommuter, you soon realize that work and life become a soluble mixture; it's hard to separate one from the other. Some people might not want to spend more time with their families or partners. Children don't always understand that a conference call is more important (at least temporarily) than talking about "Pokemon" with them. Several of my ASTD colleagues can attest to my youngest child having joined a teleconference.

There can be a sense of isolation. At times, I send emails that go unanswered for days or weeks. That's frustrating because what I love about email is the instant gratification and connection. Even with technology; it's sometimes difficult to connect with people off-site. Think about co-workers who leave. You talk about them for a few days or weeks, and then they're forgotten as new tasks and problems arise. Work life goes on. A telecommuter doesn't leave; he or she is out of sight but doesn't want to be out of mind.

There will be times when your expectations of telecommuting will differ from reality, and everyone's reality will be a little different. Try to identify potential problems--and solutions--up front. Talk with other telecommuters to get their tips. If you used to be bombarded at home with calls after work hours, get a voicemail account when you begin telecommuting and let voicemail answer after normal work hours.