Is Telecommuting Right For You?

With the workforce gradually moving towards the act of telecommuting, how do you as an employee decide if that's right for you? Forget all the outside noise for a second -- what your boss thinks, your company's policy on telecommuting, whether or not it suits others -- and think about yourself. It ultimately boils down to a personality thing. How do you work best -- with hyper or minimal supervision? Do you thrive in an environment where you're surrounded by people, and a conversation is just a minute or a cubicle away, or do you prefer to work in solitude and silence? Are you capable of effectively managing yourself and not giving in to tempting distractions, or do you need to be in a more structured environment where those decisions are ultimately made for you? These are just some of the many questions one should ask his/herself when trying to decide whether telecommuting is a good personal fit. This article does a good job of pin-pointing some things to keep in mind when making the telecommuting decision. The 5 main questions presented in the article are:

1. Are You Self-Motivated?
2. Do You Have A Strong Understanding of Your Responsibilities?
3. Has Your Company Had Past Experience With Virtual Workers?
4. What Will You Be Providing and What Will Your Employed Provide?
5. Are You Capable of Scheduling a "Reasonable" Day?

Some helpful tips if you do choose to telecommute:

• Set boundaries for yourself. Have a space at home that is just dedicated to work, and is not associated with anything else. That way, you'll stay focused and not be tempted by distractions often. (Occasional distractions are ok, though. There would be a limited benefit of working from home if you couldn't enjoy yourself a bit.)
• If you are unable to set boundaries at home, go somewhere else where you will be productive. Telecommuting does not necessarily mean you have to sit at home and do work. It gives you the freedom to enjoy other atmospheres such as coffee shops, libraries, and outdoor areas. Figure out what suits you best, and go there. 
• Try not to let your working hours extend beyond what they normally would be. In a way, your working hours are already naturally extended because you are working through your would-be commute time. Stay productive during your normal work hours, so that you can enjoy not having to commute, and make the maximum use of the rest of your day. In addition, you don't want to come to associate telecommuting with work overload, so keep it balanced. 

Businesses also have to make the decision of whether telecommuting is right for the company. Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer decided it wasn't for them. If you are a business, how do you decide? This article spells it out nicely. Four helpful guidelines to follow when making the decision, as presented in the article, are:

1. Assess the Potential Benefits and Pitfalls
2. Understand What Kind of Work Needs to Be Done
3. Evaluate Your Employees' Work Styles and Preferences
4. Consider How to Build Culture and Promote Teamwork Remotely

If you, as a business, do choose to take the telecommuting step forward, try it out first. Implement a trial run maybe, and see how it goes. If it seems to be working, embrace it further. If it doesn't, assess different angles and methods, and see what sticks. Or, run an elaborate experiment that messes with all of your employees and drives them nuts. Just kidding, don't. But it introduces my Dilbert comic well.