Telecommuting

Now, one of the workplace models I want to look at today is telecommuting. Done properly, telecommuting makes good business sense and companies can make huge savings on their overheads. It can also be a very effective lure to recruit quality employees, but companies need to plan ahead and create the right culture for it to work. It's not as simple as just giving everybody a laptop and sending them off to work from home. Management needs to look at training, security and communication issues before any kind of telecommuting agreement is entered into. Now, a key part of making it work is ensuring that every employee, and that's whether they're at home or in the office, has equal access to resources and, of course, promotions. The last thing you want is to create a kind of us versus them scenario. The arrangement breaks down quickly if people start feeling isolated or limited in their chances of moving up the ladder if they aren't physically in the office. There has to be foresight right from the start in the hiring process. It's vital to screen employees carefully to determine who will be able to prosper working away from the office. Some companies give personality tests to prospective workers, and they do them online or over the phone to see if they're comfortable with that type of set-up.