![]() ![]() Other software solutions, like GoToMeeting or WebEx, make setting up and even recording a synchronous meeting with sound and video possible for even the smallest companies at fairly low cost. (attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)Įmployees can connect to networked company computers from home and use work-enhancing tools on their laptops, tablets, and smartphones to make real-time connections by voice, text, or video with inexpensive or free applications (or “apps”) like FaceTime and Skype. 2įigure 10.2 As more employers provide the opportunity for telework, fewer people are commuting to a corporate office every day. Clearly, employers are embracing telecommuting as a tool for flexibility, on a scale from occasional use to full-time implementation. 1 Figure 10.2 depicts the growth in telecommuting in the United States, China, India, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. employees skip the commute for at least part of each week, and according to a 2012 poll, worldwide, one in five workers telecommutes frequently, with approximately 10 percent working from home every day. The most recent Census data reveal that almost four million U.S. Today, telecommuting means any mode of working at a remote location (home or other space) by virtue of an electronic connection and/or telephone and encompasses a variety of employment types, from gig assignments to part-time contract work to traditional full-time employment. “Telework” was greatly facilitated by new telecommunications technology, including the Internet, e-mail, and mobile phones. The term telecommuting emerged in the 1970s to describe the practice of working at a specific location, whether the employee’s home or an alternate office, to reduce commuting time to a centrally located office space or store. But what exactly are the benefits and drawbacks of telecommuting, and what ethical issues does it raise? Telecommuting and Its Advantages Telecommuting is therefore easier to implement than ever. Companies like General Assembly, WeWork, and Workbar are leasing access to communal spaces equipped for the business needs of remote workers. Coworkers can share files on a remote network server or on the cloud, and managers can use nontraditional methods to monitor activity and performance. What if your business wanted to expand its local operations from six employees to ten but did not have the office space to add more workers? Today’s businesses have a toolkit of technical solutions to set up working relationships with employees far and wide through voice, computer, video connections, and offsite work-sharing spaces. Discuss the ethical dilemmas related to telecommuting and some of the solutions.Explain the drawbacks of telecommuting for the business and for employees.Identify the benefits of permitting employees to work from home.By the end of this section, you will be able to: ![]()
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