While telecommuters are generally 10 to 20 percent more
productive than traditional employees, the practice is not
without its problems. For example, managers of telecommuters
can find themselves in the unfamiliar position of supervising
employees they rarelyif eversee, says Nancy Melone, a
ssociate professor of management at the Charles H. Lundquist
College of Business. Melone is conducting research on
telecommuters and their managers.
How common is telecommuting?
NM: A 1993 study found that 8.4 million employees telecommuted at least eight hours a week, an increase from fewer than one million in 1985. More recently, a well-known consulting firm, the Gartner Group, estimated that by the year 2000 there will be more than thirty million telecommuters.
How are managers responding?
NM: Recent studies suggest that managers are unsure of their new roles in these more decentralized work relationships. The traditional management literature does not address telecommuting directly.
How is managing telecommuters different from managing traditional employees?
NM: Traditionally, much of what managers evaluate tends to emphasize both inputs (attendance, tardiness) and outputs (performance quality and quantity). When managing telecommuters, they tend to shift their emphasis toward the evaluation of outputs. This shift is something new for many managers. Not surprisingly, managers, not telecommuters, have been the cause of stalled or failed corporate telecommuting efforts in several cases.
What would you tell managers?
NM: Communication is key. Keep in mind that communication with telecommuters often involves less face-to-face contact and more voice mail, E-mail, and other forms of mediated communication. These can screen out important social cues that are useful in detecting misunderstandings or other problems that can influence productivity. Therefore frequent, precise communication (including listening) is essential. Second, regardless of their status as telecommuters or resident employees, people who do the same work should be evaluated by the same standard.
What would you tell telecommuters?
NM: Telecommuting is not for everyone. Learning to telecommute effectively requires some accommodation: a quiet place to work, functional and dependable equipment, regular communication with your manager, and self-discipline. You should also consider how your relationship might change with coworkers who do not telecommute. Some people have found that they really need and miss the social interaction of the workplace. Many telecommuters have found it useful to have a telecommuting partner who is in the office on telecommuting days. This partner can be a tremendous help in getting things done.
Has telecommuting changed over the years?
NM: Motives driving many telecommuting programs in the 1970s and 1980s were environmental and in some sense philosophical. Motivating concerns included improving the quality of life, reducing energy consumption, and lessening pollution. In the 1990s, economics have joined the list of motivations; telecommuting lowers costs and improves productivitytwo important considerations in today's globally competitive world economy.
How about telecommuting in the Northwest?
NM: The state of Oregon has encouraged telecommuting by such measures as the Business Energy Tax Credit. Oregon businesses that encourage telecommuting can also qualify for low-interest loans through the state's Small-Scale Energy Loan Program. In general, high-technology and information-based firms tend to find telecommuting attractive, and in the Northwest we have a strong high-tech base.