5. Facility Issues

If telecommuters only work away from the office a couple of days a week, what is the advantage of telecommuting?

This question brings to the forefront the most important, and least recognized, advantage of telecommuting – office space. Companies can plan for other office configurations as they experience increasing numbers of employees who telework. Typically casual or ad needed telework does not decrease the amount of office space unless teleworkers are for the most part out of the office. The advantage is that telework on a long-term basis, can reduce office space if the organization is willing to reconfigure office use. [top]

Some companies find that the ergonomic benefits of supplying furniture for teleworker home-offices far outweigh the cost. If the company is serious about supporting their telecommuters, the research indicates that providing ergonomically correct furniture is a sound long-term investment. However, it is very atypical for companies to supply office design services. [top]

Technically, the only distinction between telework and working in a virtual office is the way in which the worker telecommutes. The term "virtual office" refers employees who can complete their job duties virtually anywhere. Armed with technology tools as simple as a laptop, cell phone, or blackberry, an employee can work from a car, airplane, hotel room, or just about anywhere. A telework arrangement is usually defined by a person working at a select location away from the office (usually at home). In essence, one could say that a virtual office is just one way of telecommuting. [top]

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