Читать книгу Managing Off-Site Staff for Small Business - Lin Grensing-Pophal - Страница 19

Not all employees are anxious to telecommute. In fact, employees harbor a number of fears about telecommuting. As a manager it is important that you understand some of these concerns and that you’re able to directly and candidly discuss them with staff members. There are disadvantages to telecommuting and, for some employees, these disadvantages can be insurmountable.

Isolation. One of the real benefits of working at the office is the social interaction with other people. While any telecommuter should have ample opportunity for communication with the head office — through email, phone, video conference, and in-person meetings — the fact remains that a lot of time will be spent alone. While some employees may thrive in this type of environment, others may find the isolation difficult to deal with.

Home distractions. People working from their homes often have difficulty creating an appropriate boundary between home and work. Friends, family, and neighbors may perceive that the at-home employee is more receptive to drop-in visits, phone calls, and other interruptions.

Telecommuters whose arrangements allow them to work with their children present have other distractions. And, of course, there are the distractions that telecommuters create for themselves: the temptations of nice, sunny days; the lure of the television; the unrelenting desire to throw in a load of laundry.

Workaholism. The difficulty of drawing a distinction between home and work may create a problem of over-dedication to the job. Telecommuters are often tempted to work longer hours and can find it difficult to create appropriate boundaries between work responsibilities and personal needs. When the office is always just steps away, the lure of completing a project, checking email, or doing just one more thing can be strong.

Limited access to copiers, fax, and other office services. While you will want to consider carefully each telecommuter’s needs in terms of work equipment and tools, depending on the employee and his or her job, you may not be able to justify providing every piece of office equipment available for the home office. An employee may need to rely on administrative assistance at the head office or plan occasional trips into the office to take care of routine tasks.

Invisibility — a career killer? Employees may be hesitant to pursue telecommuting because they have come to view it as a career killer. They fear that if they aren’t continually involved, they will be overlooked for key projects, assignments, and promotions. This is a very real concern. However, a 1997 survey of telecommuters showed that 63 percent felt that teleworking had been a positive influence on their careers, and only 3 percent reported any negative impact.

Typically, it is the most independent and self-motivated individuals who are good candidates for telecommuting — the same traits that characterize upwardly mobile employees in general. As a manager, one of your key responsibilities is employee development. Telecommuters, as part of the staff, need to be part of this process.