Vecchio, 1
Abstract
In this paper, I will examine two views on telecommuting. First, I will define
telecommuting and look at the advantages and disadvantages of this workplace
environment. Then I will describe telecommuting’s broader impact on society and the
environment from the perspective of a proponent of telecommuting. Next, I will outline
some arguments against telecommuting. Finally, I will present my own views on the
topic.
I. What is Telecommuting?
A. Telecommuting Defined
Telecommuting occurs when employees work away from their normal workplace,
usually from home, and communicate with their workplaces electronically. Such workers
can telecommute all of their work time, or on an occasional basis. Most telecommuting
takes place one or two days per week. It seems that telecommuting is most successful
when it is adapted specifically to the needs of a particular company; that is, it ought to be
closely integrated with a company’s existing infrastructure. Telecommuting can be a
very lucrative work structure, saving money through helping to balance employee
lifestyles, thereby reducing job-related stress and its effects on employee productivity.
[2]
B. A Brief History of Telecommuting
A Boston banker is credited with having invented this workplace environment
when he installed a phone line from his home to his office in 1877. The next big
development in the history of telecommuting was the invention of the term itself. Jack
Nilles, a NASA scientist, began working from home after spending too much time in Los
Angeles traffic. He coined the term and became famous for his activism in spreading the
concept. Then, Blue Cross/Blue Shield implemented telecommuting in 1978 and
reported a gain of 26% in productivity. In 1980, the U.S. Army “jumped off the
bandwagon,” and began piloting telecommuting projects. In the later ’80s,
telecommuting became so popular that consultants began capitalize on the concept.
Currently, telecommuting is considered mainstream as a result of its popularity with
many major U.S. corporations. [1]
II. Costs and Benefits
Integrating telecommuting into a company’s existing infrastructure can be costly.
However, it is important to note that program set-up and training and most of the other
costs are one-time costs and the losses are usually easily gained back. The cost of remote
access and equipment are continuous, but generally appear to be negligible compared to
the resulting savings. The following are some of the costs of telecommuting: Personality
may restrict who can telecommute. Those prone to procrastination, boredom, and
feelings of isolation may not benefit from telecommuting. Additionally, while
telecommunication is generally regarded as a boon for working parents, telecommuting
can actually contribute to family stress in certain situations. Some employees may
develop a fear of becoming a less visible, and therefore, less valuable employee. Finally,
the effect of telecommuting on productivity is still debatable. One study found support
for the hypothesis that “increased costs may offset telecommuting productivity gains.” [3]
However, telecommuting has some very important gains for companies and
employees. First, companies can save substantial sums of money in the area of real estate
and office costs. Additionally, while new officing strategies such as office sharing and
“hotelling” can be problematic to implement and meet with employee resistance, offering
telecommuting in conjunction with these options has generally resulted in a favorable
reception of these models [1]. Telecommuting with some business travel is a cheap
alternative to relocation [1]. Many employees report that conflicts between work and
their home lives are problematic for their job satisfaction and productivity.
Telecommuting offers a potential solution to this problem, which can help reduce stress,
risk of burnout, and commuting time [1]. Absenteeism is also positively affected by
telecommuting, as many telecommuters can often perform at least some of their normal
work, even if they are ill. Absenteeism and disruption during strikes, floods, bad
weather, and other emergencies are also decreased as a result of telecommuting [1].
Finally, a survey of over 17,000 telecommuters found that telecommuters receive a
higher proportion of promotions than other employees [4]. It seems that an effective
cost-benefit analysis is key to determining whether telecommuting is beneficial for a
particular company.
III. Telecommuting from a Proponent’s Perspective
Telecommuting benefits society in the five major areas of transportation, health
and safety/environmental concerns, community development, business competition, and
employee rights. Telecommuting can reduce wear and tear on highways, as well as
reduce traffic congestion [5]. It can reduce air pollution and cut down on car accidents
[5]. Telecommunication can reduce the number of “latch-key” kids and provide more
time and flexibility to care for elders. It can increase company morale and job
satisfaction. Finally, it can result in employment for disabled and mobility restricted
people [6].
IV. Telecommuting from an Antagonist’s Perspective
The results of telecommunication depend heavily on the context in which the
strategy is applied. There are situations in which telecommuting can be bad for society
and the environment. One of the most heavily-cited problems with “wiring” workplaces
is the resulting decrease in social interaction, which can lead to feelings of isolation,
neglect, and even workaholism among employees [7]. Poorly configured home offices
can lead to health, safety, and ergonomic issues [7]. Overeating is a frequent problem for
telecommuters [8]. The increasing loss of U.S. jobs to foreign workers is attributed to
telecommuting [9]. Telecommuting can disrupt a company’s morale by creating jealousy
among co-workers, or breaking up teams [10]. Finally, telecommuting could theoretically
lead to a migration of people from cities to suburbs, which could have drastic
environmental implications.
V. Reflections on Telecommuting
I believe that telecommunication is, on the whole, a good thing for businesses.
Additionally, I believe that telecommuting’s risks to employees (e.g., loneliness,
workaholism, overeating, etc.) are easily overcome, and worth attempting to work
through. One reason I believe so firmly that telecommuting is worth such risks is the
potential benefits to families: telecommuting creates and increase in the availability of
parents and caretakers, which can translate into very real, immediate benefits for families.
Further, the environmental and health benefits of telecommuting, (e.g., reduction of air
pollution, ease of stress, reduction of injury due to car accidents) far outweigh potential
health risks. That said, I do have one large concern regarding the potential environmental
risks of telecommuting: Transportation has an important effect on where people live. By
reducing the need for cars, telecommuting technology could result in a shift in population
density from urban areas to suburban areas. This could result in the depletion of natural
resources in order to clear land and acquire resources to create new communities. It
would probably take a massive migration to have such an extreme effect, but I believe
that the environmental ramifications of even a much smaller shift are worth considering.
It is important to determine whether telecommuting actually has a negative impact on the
environment by virtue of increasing sprawl, or if businesses run without telecommuting
actually have a worse impact on the environment by increasing the production of global
greenhouse gases. Clearly, there is still important research to be done in the areas of
telecommuting and its effect on society and the environment.
References
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4] Pratt, Joanne, Myths and Realities of Working at Home, U.S. Small Business Administration, 1993.
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]
[10]