Telecommuting Jobs or “working from home” is now more than ever before on the rise. And, it is re-shaping what we think of as the workplace. More organizations are seeing the benefits of letting their employees work from home, even if it is just occasionally. The current rise has also been thought to have come from tight budgets and a slow economy.

So why else are we seeing this sudden rise of telecommuting? What are the benefits of this type of work? And, how is it reshaping the workplace?

-Telecommuting saves money for companies. Most telecommuters have to invest in their own work equipment such as cell phones, laptops and other transcribing equipment and software. Also, most employers consider telecommuters as freelance, so they don’t have to pay health insurance or disability benefits. Full -time telework can save companies approximately $20,000 per employee.

-You can work anywhere. Having the ability to work from home, on vacation, in a coffee shop, at a friend’s house can lead to more productivity. It means, “I can take my work with me wherever.” This means less restrictions on time unless personally set by the telecommuter.

-Increased productivity. As mentioned before, the ability to work wherever whenever can boost productivity. Also, the feeling of not being confined in an office can lead to more creativity and excitement about job.

-Flexible schedule. Telecommuting offers a flexible schedule. Work can be arranged around family and other obligations. It can be done at the time that is best for you.

-Dress code. Working from home means the ability to wear whatever you’d like. You don’t need to report to the office everyday so you can wear what you’d like to give you some freedom.

-Environmentally friendly. Telecommuting is good for social issues such as reducing traffic, stress and pollution. If air quality is bad in a certain area, telecommuting can be a good thing in order to reduce vehicle travel.

-Employee Satisfaction. Telework flexibility is a desirable prerequisite for those looking for jobs these days. Many consider the ability to work from home a huge incentive when looking for a job.

With all of the benefits of telecommuting like saving money, good on the environment, makes employees happy, and increased productivity there are some concerns and skepticism of telecommuting. A few of these are:

-Fear of loss of control as employees are given more freedom.

-The view that it is a complement to the workplace rather than a substitute.

-Distrust from employers and disconnectedness from employee.

Just like anything, it takes a little more effort to communicate from a distance. A face to face environment usually causes less confusion. However, this sudden rise in telecommuting is for a good reason.

More companies are getting comfortable with the fact that employees enjoy the freedom to work from home whether part-time or full-time. Eventually, employers have to weigh the benefits to concerns and decide what is best for their business.

Author Bio: Sarah Edison is an office space expert at Elite Business Centres. Elite specializes in providing Vancouver virtual offices and executive offices. You can learn more about their services by visiting their website at http://www.eliteoffices.com

Category: Business
Keywords: virtual offices, executive offices, vancouver, telecommuting, workplace, work from home