Is telecommuting dead?

From IBM Australia to Yahoo!, are we seeing a growing trend in organizations restricting their telecommuting policies?

Last week, IT News reported that IBM Australia has sent out a memo to all of its employees about changes to its telecommuting policy. Their HR team will be reviewing each employee’s case and budget to make a decision as to whether it is still appropriate for them to be working remotely from home. To find out information about business statistics in Australia click here.

Both IBM Australia and Yahoo! have cited that they’re moving towards regrouping their teams in-house so that they can better connect with each other and synergise their operations. I’m sure many of their employees are huffing and puffing, I mean who wants to have to commute back and forth to and from work when you’ve had the privilege of working from home, with no distractions, no hours spent on public transport or in traffic.

Some industry leaders have even predicted that it won’t be long before many other organisations restrict their employees from the same arrangements. Especially in the wake of weak trading conditions resulting in falling profits and revenues. From an organisation’s point of view, the management team has a duty to make hard decisions – even if it is unpopular with their employees, to ensure the viability of the company.

Benefits of telecommuting

1. Save time commuting to and from work each day – traffic and public transport delays can really take a toll on a person.
2. Fewer sick days – employees who telecommute are more likely to have a healthier lifestyle, with many saying the time they save commuting to and from work, they spend outdoors instead.
3. No geographical restrictions when hiring.

Disadvantages of working remotely

1. Can be isolating – employees not knowing each other or working in a team environment can really be mentally challenging in trying to bring a team working cohesively together.
2. Poor communication channels – many have reported that communication is their greatest challenge. For Managers, many who are there to manage their team at times do not know what their team is up to as they are not physically there.
3. Security concerns – many employees deal with a lot of sensitive data and are privy to secrets of an organisation’s operations. Telecommuting opens an organisation up to possible leaks and accidental breaches.

Future of Business telecommuting

Over the next few years, we can expect to find more and more organisations pulling back their telecommuting arrangements with their employees, especially in the wake of tougher market conditions. Companies will be trying anything they can to reinvigorate their workforce and to reinspire them to help the companies reach their goals. This Article is a good read about how woman are treated in business.

More and more companies are also on the hunt for skilled and knowledgeable employees. Those that have strong analytic skills are able to steer the company towards the right direction and help pull the company out of a storm. That is why it is important that you learn as much as you can, put yourself in situations that will push you to practice what you learn, and get qualified.