MyBusiness Manual - January/February 2010

Will Work From Home

by Katy Rank Lev

When David Davis’ star office manager relocated to North Carolina four years ago, she suggested that Davis keep her on the payroll and let her work from her new home. Despite his initial concerns about telecommuting, Davis, owner of Finleyville, Pa.-based David Davis Communications arranged a way for her to manage the workplace--without stepping foot into the office.

With today’s high fuel costs and busy lifestyles, employees who live even 10 miles from the office are feeling the burn of wasted money and time on the daily commute. Smart small business owners are using telecommuting to help valued employees who just can’t--and don’t want to--make the commute anymore. "Telecommuting saves employees traveling time and gas money, which should be more profitable for me as a small business owner," Davis says. "Whether because of a long commute or another reason, telecommuting is the perfect solution."

Debra Dinnocenzo, president of VirtualWorks, a company that teaches businesses to manage the virtual workplace, says allowing employees to work remotely benefits everyone involved--and the environment. Employees are happier because they’re saving money, and employers are saving, too, by attracting and retaining top-notch workers who are looking for a flexible workplace. If you’re thinking of implementing a telecommuting program in your business, here are a few tips to get you started.

Focus on results. Although Davis was willing to let his employee work from home, he was concerned about trusting someone to stay motivated without supervision. How can business owners know employees are actually working when they’re at home? Dinnocenzo believes a shift in management is the best way to put your mind at ease.

For telecommuting to work, she says you must move to a results-based model of management. This way, people are motivated to improve the quality of their work and not just focus on recording time.

Keep building teamwork. Using technology such as videoconferencing, webinars and other tools can help preserve a sense of collaboration no matter where your employees are located. Each business is different, but if employers provide ongoing support and team-building activities (even virtual ones), businesses can move away from the conference model where people are physically huddled around a table.

The most important thing to avoid is a reliance on e-mail communication, Dinnocenzo says. Giving telecommuters the chance to talk to coworkers and clients over the phone (or webcam) is crucial.

Buy the right equipment. Maintaining productivity and team cohesion among a virtual workforce is essential. Make sure employees have the right equipment and remote access to company servers and files. "Get the information employees need on a company network," Dinnocenzo says. "This lets employees access information from wherever they are."

Communicate expectations. Employers also need to set expectations for virtual workers and make sure everyone is on the same page. Details like expected response times for e-mails become important for virtual workers. Teams need to work out reasonable expectations for each task to ensure continuity and head off any miscommunication.