From federal, state, and local governments to small- and medium-sized businesses and large corporations, telecommuting programs have been recognized as an effective way to:

• reduce overhead costs
• reduce consumption of energy resources
• increase staff productivity
• decrease lost work time and
• provide the opportunity for greater work-life balance.  

The three major components that enable the deployment of a telecommuting program are: People, Telecommunication Systems, and Hardware.  Each component is examined in this three-part series.

Part 1 of 3: Major Component #1—People

Most importantly, the success of a telecommuting program will depend on the morale and skill of its employees; at the core of every remote operation is its motivated, task-oriented, and qualified team.

In fact, many teleworkers work harder—and work for longer hours than their office-bound counterparts—as they naturally exhibit the traits listed above, and are often given the opportunity to work on their own schedule.

 

Who need not apply?  Those who prefer supervised work, those who require a large amount of social interaction, and those that value prestige over independence, as this type of employee may quickly become depressed and dissatisfied with the remote-work experience.

Common Tele-Professions
In general, roles that are best suited to telecommuting have the following characteristics¹:

• Clear objectives
• Work can be performed independently
• Little or need for supervision
• A high degree of information/knowledge processing
• Incorporate the use technology.

Popular telecommuting jobs include²:

• Finance Professionals – Accountants, Auditors, Finance Brokers
• Public Relations Consultants – Event Management, Event Promotion Professionals
• Administration & Support Staff – Book-keeping, Data Input and Word Processing, Remote Customer Services, Researchers & Analysts
• Sales & Marketing – Reservations, Telemarketing, Marketing and Outside Sales Professionals
• Writing and Education – Technical Writers, Reporters, Editors, Distance-learning Educators
• IT Staff – Systems Analysts, Software Programmers, Web Designers and Developers

Jobs Inappropriate for Telework Necessarily, despite all advances in technology, some jobs will not be appropriate for telework², such as (where applicable):

• Jobs involving direct interaction with the public
• Manufacturing-related jobs
• Hands-on roles and supervisory positions, such as mid-to-senior level corporate management

The afore-mentioned common telecommuting job characteristics and professions (and their foils) support the notion that capable, self-reliant people are the very essence of a telecommuting program.  No telecommuting initiative will thrive without an autonomous, focused, and experienced staff.

 

References: 

1 Crandall (2005), Trembalay (2002)
2 McDonald (2004)