Thanks to telecom technologies, many employees have been able to work from home for some time. However, now, due to COVID-19, many more employees must work from home if their jobs allow it. In her comprehensive manual, Lisette Sutherland, a remote working entrepreneur, details the ins and outs of telecommuting. Writing with Kirsten Janene-Nelson, Sutherland outlines the many benefits and some common pitfalls of remote work for companies, virtual team leaders and home-based employees.
Many employees now can easily work from home.
Today, thanks to advances in the information- and file-sharing capabilities of the internet, many workers can do their jobs from remote locations. They often can set their own schedules and work when it best suits them.
Companies increasingly permit flexible work arrangements, including remote work. In 1995, only 9% of employees worked remotely; by 2015, 37% did so. In 2016, 43% of employees in the United States worked remotely at least occasionally. Companies that fail to offer telecommuting may find it increasingly difficult to recruit new staff members and to retain their best employees.
Enabling employees to work remotely is becoming a basic management practice.
Companies offer telecommuting to achieve multiple advantages:
- “Stay competitive – retain and attract talent” – For many employees, working remotely is an essential – even nonnegotiable – condition of employment. Some companies can’t find the expert talent they want in their immediate area, so they must hire remote workers. In 2013, Indianapolis...
Lisette Sutherland is the director of Collaboration Superpowers and the co-founder of Virtual Team Talk, an online community of 500 virtual team enthusiasts. Freelance editor Kirsten Janene-Nelson is a consultant with more than 25 years of experience in book publishing.
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