{"id":209,"date":"2018-09-26T19:46:16","date_gmt":"2018-09-26T19:46:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test-hcc-press-wp-multisite.pantheonsite.io\/businessethics\/chapter\/more-telecommuting-or-less\/"},"modified":"2023-06-29T17:39:07","modified_gmt":"2023-06-29T17:39:07","slug":"more-telecommuting-or-less","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/businessethics\/chapter\/more-telecommuting-or-less\/","title":{"raw":"More Telecommuting or Less?","rendered":"More Telecommuting or Less?"},"content":{"raw":"<div id=\"fs-idm199367712\" class=\"learning-objectives\">\r\n<h2>Learning Objectives<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm208162080\">By the end of this section, you will be able to:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul id=\"fs-idm191592576\">\r\n \t<li>Identify the benefits of permitting employees to work from home<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Explain the drawbacks of telecommuting for the business and for employees<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Discuss the ethical dilemmas related to telecommuting and some of the solutions<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm237547424\">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\u2019s 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. Coworkers can share files on a remote network server or on the cloud, and managers can use nontraditional methods to monitor activity and performance. Companies like General Assembly, WeWork, and Workbar are leasing access to communal spaces equipped for the business needs of remote workers. Telecommuting is therefore easier to implement than ever. But what exactly are the benefits and drawbacks of telecommuting, and what ethical issues does it raise?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm231251824\" class=\"bc-section section\">\r\n<h3>Telecommuting and Its Advantages<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm196564592\">The term telecommuting emerged in the 1970s to describe the practice of working at a specific location, whether the employee\u2019s home or an alternate office, to reduce commuting time to a centrally located office space or store. \u201cTelework\u201d was greatly facilitated by new telecommunications technology, including the Internet, e-mail, and mobile phones. 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.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm195102912\">The most recent Census data reveal that almost four million U.S. 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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\n<a class=\"autogenerated-content\" href=\"#OSX_Ethics_10_01_Telework\">(Figure)<\/a> depicts the growth in telecommuting in the United States, China, India, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Clearly, employers are embracing telecommuting as a tool for flexibility, on a scale from occasional use to full-time implementation.\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div id=\"OSX_Ethics_10_01_Telework\" class=\"bc-figure figure\">\r\n<div class=\"bc-figcaption figcaption\">As more employers provide the opportunity for <span class=\"no-emphasis\">telework<\/span>, fewer people are commuting to a corporate office every day. (attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)<\/div>\r\n<span id=\"fs-idm199237760\">\r\n<img src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2018\/09\/OSX_Ethics_10_01_Telework.jpg\" alt=\"This graphic is titled \u201cPercentage of Employers Offering Telework Options.\u201d It shows six circle charts in a row. From left to right they are United States, 90 percent; China, 85 percent; India, 77 percent; United Kingdom, 72 percent; France, 71 percent; and Germany 71 percent.\" \/><\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm194958688\">Employees 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 \u201capps\u201d) like FaceTime and Skype. 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. The communication and productivity tools that facilitate telecommuting can only grow in number and sophistication. Virtual reality tools like Microsoft\u2019s Mixed Reality allow a worker in one location to communicate with the holograph of another person in real time. For example, this technology could enable a job interview with a remote candidate. Of course, the use of technology brings with it the need to ensure information security and protection against hacking, including guaranteeing the authenticity of the persons engaging via this technology.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm224821696\">Employers allow employees to telecommute for a variety of reasons. First, it is a powerful recruiting tool for people who want to balance their work and personal lives. It allows employees to work a more flexible schedule to care for children or older relatives while maintaining a career and earning income.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nIndividuals with ability challenges also prefer the flexibility that telecommuting affords them.\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm226422176\">Telecommuting also reduces the hours that employees spend traveling to and from the job and can help keep cars off the road. Fewer workers commuting equals less crowding on public transportation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nFewer cars mean less air pollution as well. The average U.S. employee (who commutes 30 miles and 60 minutes per day) will save more than $1000 on gas per year by telecommuting (along with associated costs of parking and vehicle upkeep and insurance).\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nRemote workers can continue to do their jobs despite weather conditions that impede travel. They are not exposed to sick coworkers\u2019 germs and may take fewer sick days (which sometimes translates to fewer sick days company-wide). Remote employees are also seldom late for work or early to leave when their workday starts at home.\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm206118368\">More broadly, there is a good deal of evidence suggesting that telecommuting has beneficial effects on worker productivity. For example, a call-center study reported in the <em>Harvard Business Review<\/em> found that telecommuting employees made 13.5 percent more calls, resigned their positions at only half the usual rate, and had much higher job satisfaction compared with employees who did not telecommute.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nThe Colorado Department of Transportation, in a study of telecommuting productivity for a branch that issued permits, found 48 percent faster turnaround times for issuing permits and 5 percent more calls for telecommuters.\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nFurthermore, studies of JD Edwards teleworkers found them to be 20 to 25 percent more productive than their office colleagues; American Express employees who worked from home were 43 percent more productive than workers in the office.\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nWith none of the distractions of a traditional office setting, like water-cooler gossip and long lunches, and with the happier attitude, workers tend to enjoy when they have control over their work lives. Telecommuting facilitates increased efficiency and productivity and also typically results in higher retention of workers, thereby reducing recruiting and training costs for firms.\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm227684720\">Studies have shown that a person who commutes for an hour a day experiences added stress, anxiety, social isolation, and possibly depression.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nPerhaps that is why companies that implement telecommuting experience less absenteeism overall.\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nIt may also be easier to collaborate when not sharing a limited amount of space (such as in a cubicle forest), and people may be more willing to share resources with one another when the total number of workers present at the facility is reduced. Another point is that there may be less chatting and gossip among remote workers who are not in daily contact with each other or their colleagues.\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm208313520\">Employers may be attracted to telecommuting for other reasons. Having remote employees can reduce office-space costs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nIn fact, a company can consider expanding even when there is no available real estate or capital to enlarge or improve the physical facilities. Companies that hire remote employees can also widen their pool of potential applicants.\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nThey can choose recruits with better job skills than the local population could provide and expand their sales and marketing territory by hiring employees based in a new area.\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm191256224\">Finally, there are many external environmental benefits of telecommuting. We have seen that a business that reduces total office space also reduces its impact on the environment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nRemote workers would increase their individual consumption of utilities while working at home, but chances are that their home\u2019s energy consumption partially continues during the time spent at a traditional job as well (<a class=\"autogenerated-content\" href=\"#OSX_Ethics_10_01_TCommBen\">(Figure)<\/a>).\r\n<div id=\"OSX_Ethics_10_01_TCommBen\" class=\"bc-figure figure\">\r\n<div class=\"bc-figcaption figcaption\">Telecommuting is becoming more common around the world. The phenomenon stands to benefit remote workers and also their employers. (credit photograph: Cory Zanker\/Flickr, CC BY 4.0; figure attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)<\/div>\r\n<span id=\"fs-idm234041600\">\r\n<img src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2022\/12\/OSX_Ethics_10_01_TCommBen.jpg\" alt=\"This graphic has a photo in the center and three boxes branching off of it. The photo in the center shows a woman working outside on a laptop. One box is titled \u201cEmployee Benefits\u201d and the bulleted points are saves time; reduces spending on gas; decreases stress; and improves work-life balance. The next box is titled \u201cEmployer Benefits\u201d and the bulleted points are reduces spending on real estate, utilities, overhead; and increases employee productivity. The last box is titled \u201cOther Benefits\u201d and the bulleted points are reduces greenhouse emissions; decreases dependence on oil imports; and aligns with future trending (Bring Your Own Device, Software as a Service).\" \/><\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm227627760\" class=\"bc-section section\">\r\n<h3>The Drawbacks of Telecommuting<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm209275472\">In 2013, Yahoo\u2019s then\u2013chief executive officer (CEO), Marissa Mayer, ended the company\u2019s work-at-home policy, contending that the change would boost communication and collaboration by bringing people back to the office to work with their colleagues face to face.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nIBM, Aetna, and Bank of America followed her lead, citing a greater need for collaborative communication to compete with smaller firms.\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nA backlash in the media followed this announcement, because working at home is popular among Yahoo employees. Yahoo has since shown greater flexibility in allowing some employees to once again work at home.\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nBut recent research does reveal that employees collaborate more creatively when they meet to discuss projects face to face. This finding has important implications for firms dependent on research and development for their future growth. In fact, Steve Jobs designed the Pixar facility to increase the likelihood of conversations that would promote idea generation.\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm229318112\">Corporate culture is not easy to convey over distance. The remote worker might have developed certain working habits at a different company with a different corporate culture (sometimes in another country). It can be challenging to help employees adapt to the culture of a new company when they work remotely.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm231789280\">It is also more difficult for employers to monitor some kinds of work-related progress when an employee is working remotely. The likelihood of miscommunication increases when everything must be transmitted electronically or virtually.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nA manager cannot \u201cmanage by walking around\u201d when the worker is remote. There are no incidental opportunities to witness a worker interacting with a client or customer.\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nWorkers may also be more hesitant to ask for direction on a project. Some managers worry that employees will slack off if there is no one there to watch them.\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm234080816\">The remote worker may have qualms about privacy when his or her personal life inevitably intersects with the workday (as when a family member walks into the room or the dog barks during a conference call).<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nChildren may be confused when it seems like their parent is home but is not available for meals or play or homework help. It may be difficult for remote workers to maintain a work-life balance when their home becomes their office (especially if their hours are flexible). Workers may have to set aside living space for a home office and spend money to buy computing equipment, a desk, and other supplies.\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm230825008\">Furthermore, it is difficult for an on-site technology team to provide technical assistance or secure data at the level the company may require when people are working at home. Moreover, when the definition of the workplace begins to blur, who is responsible for injuries that occur on the job at home? The employer is unable to exercise the same control over safety measures that holds in a traditional workplace.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm222104128\">There may also be productivity concerns. Some remote workers will rise to the challenge of motivating themselves to work diligently. In fact, studies have shown that some remote workers are more productive than their traditional counterparts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nBut it is not easy to sort potential employees into workers and procrastinators without some period of trial and error, which may be costly.\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm237449776\">Not all fields are equally suited to telecommuting. Some jobs require consistent in-person contact with clients or customers, such as counseling, physical therapy, and medicine.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nSome industries need the highest computer security, such as banking and finance. Other work settings, such as law enforcement, have increased needs for building security that would make working remotely an unsafe alternative for employees.\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm228317472\">The biggest drawback of telecommuting for the individual employee is the bias that studies reveal in employer attitudes. Most managers, after all, attained their status in a traditional job. When some employees telecommute and others do not, those who are in the physical presence of the employer every day can more easily make an impression (good or bad) simply by interacting with their manager. There is also some indication that employees who opt for a nontraditional work arrangement may be penalized if they are perceived as lazy or less dedicated than those who maintain traditional work hours. Employers might have a stronger recollection of the work produced by the employee they see regularly than they do of the work a remote employee is submitting online. Therefore, promotions and important projects may go to employees who are more visible. The remote employee might eventually be left without equal footing in the push for increased pay and status.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm227968128\" class=\"bc-section section\">\r\n<h3>The Ethical Challenges of Telecommuting<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm224649184\">Ethical employers must juggle the potential ethical challenges of managing remote employees, including developing trust in remote workers, encouraging trust among project team members when some are working remotely, keeping equity in mind when reviewing the performance of remote and in-office staff, and deciding which employees get to work remotely. Supervisors also must guard against abuse of the remote-work opportunity, maintain the security of the remote employee\u2019s work-related data, foster a level of collaboration that is vital to product development, and protect the remote worker\u2019s safety.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nHow can managers meet these challenges?\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm227440192\">Although it is easy to consider allowing telecommuting for those who simply ask, managers should instead categorize jobs (not people) by their suitability for remote work. Best Buy recently announced it would modify its work-from-home policy for employees in its corporate office, changing it from a perquisite (or \u201cperk\u201d) of employment to one granted by management on a case-by-case basis and mindful of the circumstances of individual workers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm237261552\">Managers should also carefully set up a framework of policies to govern at-home work and ensure fairness. For example, there could be a standard for how much time each person should spend in the office. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology created a remote pilot project in its Executive Education Program.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nEmployees were encouraged to work remotely two or three days each week and to be present in the office each Wednesday. After six months of the pilot program, 100 percent of the employees recommended its continuation.\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm234701344\" class=\"link-to-learning\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm233396992\">Watch this <a href=\"https:\/\/openstax.org\/l\/53telecommute\">video tracing some of the history of workplaces and speculating about innovations in the future, many of which relate to telecommuting<\/a> to lean more. Keep a list of the telecommuting-specific innovations and identify any ethical concerns related to them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm233627376\">Managers should set clear expectations for remote workers, such as maintaining professionalism while working and accomplishing a certain volume of work or number of tasks by a certain time. Those who meet these goals should be rewarded. In the interests of fairness and equity, neither expectations nor rewards should differ from those established for in-house workers.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm213979216\">The ethical employer communicates trust in his or her employees when implementing telecommuting. That trust is based on respect for the employee\u2019s motivation and the recognition that the employee has needs that are important in establishing work-life balance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nPerhaps the employer\u2019s vote of confidence in the employee\u2019s ability to work well remotely is the reason that productivity tends to increase in successful telecommuting programs.\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\nThe <a class=\"autogenerated-content\" href=\"#OSX_Ethics_10_01_TCommPrac\">(Figure)<\/a> caption lists some of the best practices of successful telecommuting programs.\r\n<div id=\"OSX_Ethics_10_01_TCommPrac\" class=\"scaled-down\">\r\n<div class=\"bc-figcaption figcaption\">Telecommuting is more likely to succeed when remote employees are provided with the right technology, are empowered by inclusion in the corporate culture, and interact with colleagues in a manner that clearly expresses their expectations, values, and trust. (credit: modification of \u201cdaily bw: hanging out with my coworkers\u201d by Mike McCune\/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)<\/div>\r\n<span id=\"fs-idm241096288\">\r\n<img src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2022\/12\/OSX_Ethics_10_01_TCommPrac.jpg\" alt=\"This photo shows a smartphone set up on a tripod for a video conference.\" \/><\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm229582896\">It would be unethical to place workers without assistance in a new situation in which they can easily fail. Telecommuting workers must be trained in time-management skills so they can maintain their productivity in an environment that may have more or different distractions than a traditional workplace and may make different demands on their time. Training should also strengthen communication skills, such as responding to messages promptly, that help ensure success in a remote setting. To help guard against the risk that telecommuting employees will be unfairly considered \u201cout of sight, out of mind,\u201d the ethical company will adopt written expectations about timely communication in both directions. For instance, it should ensure that managers\u2019 lines of communication are as open to their remote employees as they are to those who can drop by their desk or office to chat.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm214531248\">Finally, many firms with successful telecommuting programs create a social network among employees. They sponsor online social occasions to help employees bond even though they are not in the same place. Workers can then find a way to have some virtual fun, despite the distance that might separate them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm239677984\" class=\"section-summary\">\r\n<h3>Summary<\/h3>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm230482608\">Remote workers save themselves the time and cost of a commute and are better able to balance work and home life. Companies often benefit from the higher productivity and lower turnover of telecommuting employees, and they can also provide a social benefit by permitting employees to avoid commuting, reducing traffic congestion and pollution. Some challenges of telecommuting for the manager are maintaining the privacy of the firm\u2019s data, transmitting corporate culture, defining performance objectives, and encouraging collaboration. Employees have the challenge of remaining focused on work when they are working elsewhere. Ethical companies support their remote workers by developing and encouraging trust and guarding against abuse. They also set clear and equitable expectations and rewards to ensure fairness and keep open the lines of communication.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm213021504\" class=\"assessment-questions\">\r\n<h3>Assessment Questions<\/h3>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm229464816\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm229069920\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm222742384\">Which of the following is not a prospective benefit to the firm of implementing a telecommuting program?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol id=\"fs-idm240292080\" type=\"A\">\r\n \t<li>higher productivity of telecommuting workers<\/li>\r\n \t<li>greater connectivity and collaboration among employees<\/li>\r\n \t<li>lower operating costs<\/li>\r\n \t<li>more satisfied workers<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm233455072\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm229060928\">B<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm226493952\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm231911888\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm234543632\">A successful telecommuting program would include which of the following?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol id=\"fs-idm224805824\" type=\"A\">\r\n \t<li>a written policy that spells out expectations<\/li>\r\n \t<li>an oral policy the manager can change at will<\/li>\r\n \t<li>subjective criteria for each individual worker<\/li>\r\n \t<li>preference for some people to telecommute over others<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm234061392\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm231194768\">A<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm229834736\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm226423744\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm229764848\">True or false? Telecommuting presents some difficulties for on-site technology departments providing security and technical assistance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm231133216\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm207152336\">True<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm233471664\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm230842192\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm234145712\">True or false? Some telecommuters may be penalized by a perception that they are lazy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm226780112\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm224606720\">True<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm224661728\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm228207376\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm239887552\">How can an employer develop trust in a telecommuting employee?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm234992912\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm212970192\">An employer can communicate clear expectations and then regularly check the employee\u2019s successful completion of tasks according to specifications.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm231856304\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm192180608\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm229374592\">In what ways does telecommuting help companies recruit and retain employees?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm237561264\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm225197936\">Companies can use telecommuting to recruit and retain employees who wish to facilitate work-life balance, or employees from locations that are not within daily travel distance to the facility.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-idm386669232\" class=\"references\">\r\n<h3>Endnotes<\/h3>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-001-a\">1<\/a>Global Work Analytics, FlexJobs, <em>2017 State of Telecommuting in the U.S. Employee Workforce<\/em>, June 2017. https:\/\/cdn.thepennyhoarder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/30140000\/State_Of_Telecommuting_U.S._Employee_Workforce.pdf (accessed March 2018); Patricia Reaney, \u201cAbout One in Five Workers Worldwide Telecommute: Poll,\u201d <em>Reuters<\/em>, January 24, 2012. https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-telecommuting\/about-one-in-five-workers-worldwide-telecommute-poll-idUSTRE80N1IL20120124.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-002-a\">2<\/a>Ken Hess, \u201cDeath of the Office and Rise of the Telecommuter,\u201d <em>ZDNet<\/em>, June 2, 2014. http:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/death-of-the-office-and-rise-of-the-telecommuter\/.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-003-a\">3<\/a>\u201c3 Reasons Why Telecommuting Is a Must Have for Working Parents,\u201d FlexJobs, April 24, 2013. https:\/\/www.flexjobs.com\/blog\/post\/3-reasons-why-telecommuting-is-a-must-have-for-working-parents\/; Karla L. Miller, \u201cWork Advice: Working with Parents Who Work from Home,\u201d <em>The Washington Post<\/em>, January 14, 2013. https:\/\/live.washingtonpost.com\/work-advice-101413.html.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-004-a\">4<\/a>Barbara Otto, \u201cSurvey: Telecommuting Is More Than a Perk for Workers with Disabilities,\u201d <em>Huffpost<\/em>, May 8, 2013. https:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/barbara-otto\/telecommuting-is-more-than-a-perk_b_3239553.html.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-005-a\">5<\/a>Mike Maciag, \u201cHow Will the Growing Popularity of Telecommuting Impact Public Transit?\u201d <em>Future Structure<\/em>, November 1, 2017. http:\/\/www.govtech.com\/fs\/transportation\/How-Will-the-Growing-Popularity-of-Telecommuting-Impact-Public-Transit.html.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-006-a\">6<\/a>Sara Sutton Fell, \u201c9 Ways Working from Home Saves You Money,\u201d <em>SFGate<\/em>, April 21, 2013. https:\/\/www.sfgate.com\/jobs\/salary\/article\/9-Ways-Working-from-Home-Saves-You-Money-4456584.php.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-007-a\">7<\/a>Nicholas Bloom, \u201cTo Raise Productivity, Let More Employees Work from Home,\u201d <em>Harvard Business Review<\/em>, January\u2013February 2014. https:\/\/hbr.org\/2014\/01\/to-raise-productivity-let-more-employees-work-from-home.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-008-a\">8<\/a>Amanda Gonzales, \u201cTelecommuting Increases Employee Engagement, Productivity and Overall Happiness!\u201d Colorado Department of Transportation, April 4, 2016. https:\/\/www.codot.gov\/business\/process-improvement\/local-lean\/telecommuting-increases-employee-engagement-productivity-and-overall-happiness.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-009-a\">9<\/a>Greg Kratz, \u201c5 Benefits of Telecommuting for Employers and Employees,\u201d 1 Million for Work Flexibility, June 13, 2017. https:\/\/www.workflexibility.org\/5-benefits-of-telecommuting-for-employers-and-employees\/.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-010-a\">10<\/a>Carolyn Kylstra, \u201c10 Things Your Commute Does to Your Body,\u201d <em>Time<\/em>, February 26, 2014. http:\/\/time.com\/9912\/10-things-your-commute-does-to-your-body\/.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-011-a\">11<\/a>Andrea Loubier, \u201cBenefits of Telecommuting for the Future of Work,\u201d <em>Forbes<\/em>, July 20, 2017. https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/andrealoubier\/2017\/07\/20\/benefits-of-telecommuting-for-the-future-of-work\/#a4f6c9f16c65.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-012-a\">12<\/a>\u201cCosts and Benefits: Advantages of Agile Work Strategies for Companies,\u201d http:\/\/globalworkplaceanalytics.com\/resources\/costs-benefits (accessed May 2018).<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-013-a\">13<\/a>Syracuse Staff, \u201c4 Benefits of Adopting Remote Employees,\u201d Martin J. Whitman School of Management, Syracuse University, September 11, 2015. https:\/\/onlinebusiness.syr.edu\/4-benefits-of-remote-employees\/.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-014-a\">14<\/a>Jessica Howington, \u201cThe Positive Environmental Impact of Remote Work,\u201d FlexJobs, August 9, 2016. https:\/\/www.flexjobs.com\/blog\/post\/the-positive-environmental-impact-of-remote-work\/.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-015-a\">15<\/a>Christopher Tkaczyk, \u201cMarissa Mayer Breaks Her Silence on Yahoo\u2019s Telecommuting Policy,\u201d <em>Fortune<\/em>, April 19, 2013. http:\/\/fortune.com\/2013\/04\/19\/marissa-mayer-breaks-her-silence-on-yahoos-telecommuting-policy\/.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-016-a\">16<\/a>Nicole Spector, \u201cWhy Are Big Companies Calling Their Remote Workers Back to the Office?\u201d <em>ABC News<\/em>, July 27, 2017. https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/business\/business-news\/why-are-big-companies-calling-their-remote-workers-back-office-n787101.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-017-a\">17<\/a>Emily Peck, \u201cProof That Working from Home Is Here to Stay: Even Yahoo Still Does It,\u201d <em>Huffpost<\/em>, December 6, 2017. https:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2015\/03\/18\/the-future-is-happening-now-ok_n_6887998.html.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-018-a\">18<\/a>\u201cPixar Headquarters and the Legacy of Steve Jobs,\u201d <em>Office Snapshots<\/em>, July 16, 2012. https:\/\/officesnapshots.com\/2012\/07\/16\/pixar-headquarters-and-the-legacy-of-steve-jobs\/.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-019-a\">19<\/a>Rachael Go, \u201c7 Deadly Disadvantages of Working from Home and How to Counter Them,\u201d <em>Hubstaff Blog<\/em>, January 9, 2018. https:\/\/blog.hubstaff.com\/disadvantages-of-working-from-home\/.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-020-a\">20<\/a>Trish Barnes, \u201cPros and Cons of Employing Telecommuters,\u201d <em>RMI<\/em>, June 23, 2016. http:\/\/rmi-solutions.com\/blog\/pros-and-cons-of-employing-telecommuters\/.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-021-a\">21<\/a>Rachael Go, \u201c7 Deadly Disadvantages of Working from Home and How to Counter Them,\u201d <em>Hubstaff Blog<\/em>, January 9, 2018. https:\/\/blog.hubstaff.com\/disadvantages-of-working-from-home\/.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-022-a\">22<\/a>Trish Barnes, \u201cPros and Cons of Employing Telecommuters,\u201d <em>RMI<\/em>, June 23, 2016. http:\/\/rmi-solutions.com\/blog\/pros-and-cons-of-employing-telecommuters\/.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-023-a\">23<\/a>Parker Beauchamp, \u201cTelecommuting: the Pros, Cons and Risks of Working from Home,\u201d INGUARD, July 24, 2015. http:\/\/www.inguard.com\/blog\/telecommuting-pros-cons-risks-working-from-home.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-024-a\">24<\/a>Parker Beauchamp, \u201cTelecommuting: the Pros, Cons and Risks of Working from Home,\u201d INGUARD, July 24, 2015. http:\/\/www.inguard.com\/blog\/telecommuting-pros-cons-risks-working-from-home.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-025-a\">25<\/a>Larry Alton, \u201cAre Remote Workers More Productive Than In-Office Workers?\u201d <em>Forbes<\/em>, March 7, 2017. https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/larryalton\/2017\/03\/07\/are-remote-workers-more-productive-than-in-office-workers\/#5e15316931f6.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-026-a\">26<\/a>Melanie Pinola, \u201cBest Jobs for Telecommuting;\u201d <em>Lifewire<\/em>, March 7, 2018. https:\/\/www.lifewire.com\/best-jobs-for-telecommuting-2377295.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-027-a\">27<\/a>Sara Sutton, \u201cWhy Are Companies Still Avoiding Telecommuting?\u201d <em>Entrepreneur<\/em>, November 28, 2014. https:\/\/www.entrepreneur.com\/article\/240189.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-028-a\">28<\/a>Nicole Fallon, \u201c5 Issues Your Company\u2019s Telecommuting Policy Should Address,\u201d <em>Business News Daily<\/em>, March 31, 2017. https:\/\/www.businessnewsdaily.com\/7749-create-telecommuting-policy.html.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-029-a\">29<\/a>Susanna Kim, \u201cBest Buy Follows Yahoo\u2019s Lead, Takes a Look at Employees Working from Home,\u201d <em>ABC News<\/em>, March 6, 2013. https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Business\/best-buy-yahoo-questions-telecommuting\/story?id=18666891.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-030-a\">30<\/a>\u201cWorkplace Flexibility\u2019s Win-Win Streak,\u201d MIT Management Executive Education, September 4, 2016. https:\/\/executive.mit.edu\/blog\/workplace-flexibilitys-win-win-streak#.WnOuzq6nEdU.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-031-a\">31<\/a>George Piskurich, <em>An Organizational Guide to Telecommuting: Setting Up and Running a Successful Telecommuter Program<\/em> (Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training and Development, 1998), 95.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-032-a\">32<\/a>Michael Boyer O\u2019Leary, \u201cTelecommuting Can Boost Productivity and Job Performance,\u201d <em>U.S. News &amp; World Report<\/em>, March 15, 2013. https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/opinion\/articles\/2013\/03\/15\/telecommuting-can-boost-productivity-and-job-performance.<\/div>\r\n<div><a href=\"#rf-033-a\">33<\/a>Samantha McDuffee, \u201cOut of Sight, Out of Mind? 5 Virtual Team Building Activities That Work,\u201d Teambonding, February 9, 2017. https:\/\/www.teambonding.com\/5-team-bondingtips-for-remote-employees\/.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n<h3>Glossary<\/h3>\r\n<dl id=\"fs-idm224605072\">\r\n \t<dt>telecommuting<\/dt>\r\n \t<dd id=\"fs-idm222731504\">working from a remote location (home or other space) by means of electronic connections<\/dd>\r\n<\/dl>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div id=\"fs-idm199367712\" class=\"learning-objectives\">\n<h2>Learning Objectives<\/h2>\n<p id=\"fs-idm208162080\">By the end of this section, you will be able to:<\/p>\n<ul id=\"fs-idm191592576\">\n<li>Identify the benefits of permitting employees to work from home<\/li>\n<li>Explain the drawbacks of telecommuting for the business and for employees<\/li>\n<li>Discuss the ethical dilemmas related to telecommuting and some of the solutions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p id=\"fs-idm237547424\">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\u2019s 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. Coworkers can share files on a remote network server or on the cloud, and managers can use nontraditional methods to monitor activity and performance. Companies like General Assembly, WeWork, and Workbar are leasing access to communal spaces equipped for the business needs of remote workers. Telecommuting is therefore easier to implement than ever. But what exactly are the benefits and drawbacks of telecommuting, and what ethical issues does it raise?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm231251824\" class=\"bc-section section\">\n<h3>Telecommuting and Its Advantages<\/h3>\n<p id=\"fs-idm196564592\">The term telecommuting emerged in the 1970s to describe the practice of working at a specific location, whether the employee\u2019s home or an alternate office, to reduce commuting time to a centrally located office space or store. \u201cTelework\u201d was greatly facilitated by new telecommunications technology, including the Internet, e-mail, and mobile phones. 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.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm195102912\">The most recent Census data reveal that almost four million U.S. 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.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p><a class=\"autogenerated-content\" href=\"#OSX_Ethics_10_01_Telework\">(Figure)<\/a> depicts the growth in telecommuting in the United States, China, India, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Clearly, employers are embracing telecommuting as a tool for flexibility, on a scale from occasional use to full-time implementation.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"OSX_Ethics_10_01_Telework\" class=\"bc-figure figure\">\n<div class=\"bc-figcaption figcaption\">As more employers provide the opportunity for <span class=\"no-emphasis\">telework<\/span>, fewer people are commuting to a corporate office every day. (attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)<\/div>\n<p><span id=\"fs-idm199237760\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2018\/09\/OSX_Ethics_10_01_Telework.jpg\" alt=\"This graphic is titled \u201cPercentage of Employers Offering Telework Options.\u201d It shows six circle charts in a row. From left to right they are United States, 90 percent; China, 85 percent; India, 77 percent; United Kingdom, 72 percent; France, 71 percent; and Germany 71 percent.\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-idm194958688\">Employees 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 \u201capps\u201d) like FaceTime and Skype. 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. The communication and productivity tools that facilitate telecommuting can only grow in number and sophistication. Virtual reality tools like Microsoft\u2019s Mixed Reality allow a worker in one location to communicate with the holograph of another person in real time. For example, this technology could enable a job interview with a remote candidate. Of course, the use of technology brings with it the need to ensure information security and protection against hacking, including guaranteeing the authenticity of the persons engaging via this technology.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm224821696\">Employers allow employees to telecommute for a variety of reasons. First, it is a powerful recruiting tool for people who want to balance their work and personal lives. It allows employees to work a more flexible schedule to care for children or older relatives while maintaining a career and earning income.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>Individuals with ability challenges also prefer the flexibility that telecommuting affords them.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm226422176\">Telecommuting also reduces the hours that employees spend traveling to and from the job and can help keep cars off the road. Fewer workers commuting equals less crowding on public transportation.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>Fewer cars mean less air pollution as well. The average U.S. employee (who commutes 30 miles and 60 minutes per day) will save more than $1000 on gas per year by telecommuting (along with associated costs of parking and vehicle upkeep and insurance).<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>Remote workers can continue to do their jobs despite weather conditions that impede travel. They are not exposed to sick coworkers\u2019 germs and may take fewer sick days (which sometimes translates to fewer sick days company-wide). Remote employees are also seldom late for work or early to leave when their workday starts at home.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm206118368\">More broadly, there is a good deal of evidence suggesting that telecommuting has beneficial effects on worker productivity. For example, a call-center study reported in the <em>Harvard Business Review<\/em> found that telecommuting employees made 13.5 percent more calls, resigned their positions at only half the usual rate, and had much higher job satisfaction compared with employees who did not telecommute.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>The Colorado Department of Transportation, in a study of telecommuting productivity for a branch that issued permits, found 48 percent faster turnaround times for issuing permits and 5 percent more calls for telecommuters.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>Furthermore, studies of JD Edwards teleworkers found them to be 20 to 25 percent more productive than their office colleagues; American Express employees who worked from home were 43 percent more productive than workers in the office.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>With none of the distractions of a traditional office setting, like water-cooler gossip and long lunches, and with the happier attitude, workers tend to enjoy when they have control over their work lives. Telecommuting facilitates increased efficiency and productivity and also typically results in higher retention of workers, thereby reducing recruiting and training costs for firms.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm227684720\">Studies have shown that a person who commutes for an hour a day experiences added stress, anxiety, social isolation, and possibly depression.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>Perhaps that is why companies that implement telecommuting experience less absenteeism overall.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>It may also be easier to collaborate when not sharing a limited amount of space (such as in a cubicle forest), and people may be more willing to share resources with one another when the total number of workers present at the facility is reduced. Another point is that there may be less chatting and gossip among remote workers who are not in daily contact with each other or their colleagues.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm208313520\">Employers may be attracted to telecommuting for other reasons. Having remote employees can reduce office-space costs.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>In fact, a company can consider expanding even when there is no available real estate or capital to enlarge or improve the physical facilities. Companies that hire remote employees can also widen their pool of potential applicants.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>They can choose recruits with better job skills than the local population could provide and expand their sales and marketing territory by hiring employees based in a new area.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm191256224\">Finally, there are many external environmental benefits of telecommuting. We have seen that a business that reduces total office space also reduces its impact on the environment.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>Remote workers would increase their individual consumption of utilities while working at home, but chances are that their home\u2019s energy consumption partially continues during the time spent at a traditional job as well (<a class=\"autogenerated-content\" href=\"#OSX_Ethics_10_01_TCommBen\">(Figure)<\/a>).<\/p>\n<div id=\"OSX_Ethics_10_01_TCommBen\" class=\"bc-figure figure\">\n<div class=\"bc-figcaption figcaption\">Telecommuting is becoming more common around the world. The phenomenon stands to benefit remote workers and also their employers. (credit photograph: Cory Zanker\/Flickr, CC BY 4.0; figure attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)<\/div>\n<p><span id=\"fs-idm234041600\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2022\/12\/OSX_Ethics_10_01_TCommBen.jpg\" alt=\"This graphic has a photo in the center and three boxes branching off of it. The photo in the center shows a woman working outside on a laptop. One box is titled \u201cEmployee Benefits\u201d and the bulleted points are saves time; reduces spending on gas; decreases stress; and improves work-life balance. The next box is titled \u201cEmployer Benefits\u201d and the bulleted points are reduces spending on real estate, utilities, overhead; and increases employee productivity. The last box is titled \u201cOther Benefits\u201d and the bulleted points are reduces greenhouse emissions; decreases dependence on oil imports; and aligns with future trending (Bring Your Own Device, Software as a Service).\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm227627760\" class=\"bc-section section\">\n<h3>The Drawbacks of Telecommuting<\/h3>\n<p id=\"fs-idm209275472\">In 2013, Yahoo\u2019s then\u2013chief executive officer (CEO), Marissa Mayer, ended the company\u2019s work-at-home policy, contending that the change would boost communication and collaboration by bringing people back to the office to work with their colleagues face to face.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>IBM, Aetna, and Bank of America followed her lead, citing a greater need for collaborative communication to compete with smaller firms.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>A backlash in the media followed this announcement, because working at home is popular among Yahoo employees. Yahoo has since shown greater flexibility in allowing some employees to once again work at home.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>But recent research does reveal that employees collaborate more creatively when they meet to discuss projects face to face. This finding has important implications for firms dependent on research and development for their future growth. In fact, Steve Jobs designed the Pixar facility to increase the likelihood of conversations that would promote idea generation.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm229318112\">Corporate culture is not easy to convey over distance. The remote worker might have developed certain working habits at a different company with a different corporate culture (sometimes in another country). It can be challenging to help employees adapt to the culture of a new company when they work remotely.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-idm231789280\">It is also more difficult for employers to monitor some kinds of work-related progress when an employee is working remotely. The likelihood of miscommunication increases when everything must be transmitted electronically or virtually.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>A manager cannot \u201cmanage by walking around\u201d when the worker is remote. There are no incidental opportunities to witness a worker interacting with a client or customer.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>Workers may also be more hesitant to ask for direction on a project. Some managers worry that employees will slack off if there is no one there to watch them.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm234080816\">The remote worker may have qualms about privacy when his or her personal life inevitably intersects with the workday (as when a family member walks into the room or the dog barks during a conference call).<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>Children may be confused when it seems like their parent is home but is not available for meals or play or homework help. It may be difficult for remote workers to maintain a work-life balance when their home becomes their office (especially if their hours are flexible). Workers may have to set aside living space for a home office and spend money to buy computing equipment, a desk, and other supplies.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm230825008\">Furthermore, it is difficult for an on-site technology team to provide technical assistance or secure data at the level the company may require when people are working at home. Moreover, when the definition of the workplace begins to blur, who is responsible for injuries that occur on the job at home? The employer is unable to exercise the same control over safety measures that holds in a traditional workplace.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-idm222104128\">There may also be productivity concerns. Some remote workers will rise to the challenge of motivating themselves to work diligently. In fact, studies have shown that some remote workers are more productive than their traditional counterparts.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>But it is not easy to sort potential employees into workers and procrastinators without some period of trial and error, which may be costly.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm237449776\">Not all fields are equally suited to telecommuting. Some jobs require consistent in-person contact with clients or customers, such as counseling, physical therapy, and medicine.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>Some industries need the highest computer security, such as banking and finance. Other work settings, such as law enforcement, have increased needs for building security that would make working remotely an unsafe alternative for employees.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm228317472\">The biggest drawback of telecommuting for the individual employee is the bias that studies reveal in employer attitudes. Most managers, after all, attained their status in a traditional job. When some employees telecommute and others do not, those who are in the physical presence of the employer every day can more easily make an impression (good or bad) simply by interacting with their manager. There is also some indication that employees who opt for a nontraditional work arrangement may be penalized if they are perceived as lazy or less dedicated than those who maintain traditional work hours. Employers might have a stronger recollection of the work produced by the employee they see regularly than they do of the work a remote employee is submitting online. Therefore, promotions and important projects may go to employees who are more visible. The remote employee might eventually be left without equal footing in the push for increased pay and status.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm227968128\" class=\"bc-section section\">\n<h3>The Ethical Challenges of Telecommuting<\/h3>\n<p id=\"fs-idm224649184\">Ethical employers must juggle the potential ethical challenges of managing remote employees, including developing trust in remote workers, encouraging trust among project team members when some are working remotely, keeping equity in mind when reviewing the performance of remote and in-office staff, and deciding which employees get to work remotely. Supervisors also must guard against abuse of the remote-work opportunity, maintain the security of the remote employee\u2019s work-related data, foster a level of collaboration that is vital to product development, and protect the remote worker\u2019s safety.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>How can managers meet these challenges?<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm227440192\">Although it is easy to consider allowing telecommuting for those who simply ask, managers should instead categorize jobs (not people) by their suitability for remote work. Best Buy recently announced it would modify its work-from-home policy for employees in its corporate office, changing it from a perquisite (or \u201cperk\u201d) of employment to one granted by management on a case-by-case basis and mindful of the circumstances of individual workers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-idm237261552\">Managers should also carefully set up a framework of policies to govern at-home work and ensure fairness. For example, there could be a standard for how much time each person should spend in the office. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology created a remote pilot project in its Executive Education Program.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>Employees were encouraged to work remotely two or three days each week and to be present in the office each Wednesday. After six months of the pilot program, 100 percent of the employees recommended its continuation.<\/p>\n<div id=\"fs-idm234701344\" class=\"link-to-learning\">\n<p id=\"fs-idm233396992\">Watch this <a href=\"https:\/\/openstax.org\/l\/53telecommute\">video tracing some of the history of workplaces and speculating about innovations in the future, many of which relate to telecommuting<\/a> to lean more. Keep a list of the telecommuting-specific innovations and identify any ethical concerns related to them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-idm233627376\">Managers should set clear expectations for remote workers, such as maintaining professionalism while working and accomplishing a certain volume of work or number of tasks by a certain time. Those who meet these goals should be rewarded. In the interests of fairness and equity, neither expectations nor rewards should differ from those established for in-house workers.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm213979216\">The ethical employer communicates trust in his or her employees when implementing telecommuting. That trust is based on respect for the employee\u2019s motivation and the recognition that the employee has needs that are important in establishing work-life balance.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>Perhaps the employer\u2019s vote of confidence in the employee\u2019s ability to work well remotely is the reason that productivity tends to increase in successful telecommuting programs.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a class=\"autogenerated-content\" href=\"#OSX_Ethics_10_01_TCommPrac\">(Figure)<\/a> caption lists some of the best practices of successful telecommuting programs.<\/p>\n<div id=\"OSX_Ethics_10_01_TCommPrac\" class=\"scaled-down\">\n<div class=\"bc-figcaption figcaption\">Telecommuting is more likely to succeed when remote employees are provided with the right technology, are empowered by inclusion in the corporate culture, and interact with colleagues in a manner that clearly expresses their expectations, values, and trust. (credit: modification of \u201cdaily bw: hanging out with my coworkers\u201d by Mike McCune\/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)<\/div>\n<p><span id=\"fs-idm241096288\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2022\/12\/OSX_Ethics_10_01_TCommPrac.jpg\" alt=\"This photo shows a smartphone set up on a tripod for a video conference.\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-idm229582896\">It would be unethical to place workers without assistance in a new situation in which they can easily fail. Telecommuting workers must be trained in time-management skills so they can maintain their productivity in an environment that may have more or different distractions than a traditional workplace and may make different demands on their time. Training should also strengthen communication skills, such as responding to messages promptly, that help ensure success in a remote setting. To help guard against the risk that telecommuting employees will be unfairly considered \u201cout of sight, out of mind,\u201d the ethical company will adopt written expectations about timely communication in both directions. For instance, it should ensure that managers\u2019 lines of communication are as open to their remote employees as they are to those who can drop by their desk or office to chat.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm214531248\">Finally, many firms with successful telecommuting programs create a social network among employees. They sponsor online social occasions to help employees bond even though they are not in the same place. Workers can then find a way to have some virtual fun, despite the distance that might separate them.<\/p>\n<div class=\"delete-me\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm239677984\" class=\"section-summary\">\n<h3>Summary<\/h3>\n<p id=\"fs-idm230482608\">Remote workers save themselves the time and cost of a commute and are better able to balance work and home life. Companies often benefit from the higher productivity and lower turnover of telecommuting employees, and they can also provide a social benefit by permitting employees to avoid commuting, reducing traffic congestion and pollution. Some challenges of telecommuting for the manager are maintaining the privacy of the firm\u2019s data, transmitting corporate culture, defining performance objectives, and encouraging collaboration. Employees have the challenge of remaining focused on work when they are working elsewhere. Ethical companies support their remote workers by developing and encouraging trust and guarding against abuse. They also set clear and equitable expectations and rewards to ensure fairness and keep open the lines of communication.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm213021504\" class=\"assessment-questions\">\n<h3>Assessment Questions<\/h3>\n<div id=\"fs-idm229464816\">\n<div id=\"fs-idm229069920\">\n<p id=\"fs-idm222742384\">Which of the following is not a prospective benefit to the firm of implementing a telecommuting program?<\/p>\n<ol id=\"fs-idm240292080\" type=\"A\">\n<li>higher productivity of telecommuting workers<\/li>\n<li>greater connectivity and collaboration among employees<\/li>\n<li>lower operating costs<\/li>\n<li>more satisfied workers<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm233455072\">\n<p id=\"fs-idm229060928\">B<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm226493952\">\n<div id=\"fs-idm231911888\">\n<p id=\"fs-idm234543632\">A successful telecommuting program would include which of the following?<\/p>\n<ol id=\"fs-idm224805824\" type=\"A\">\n<li>a written policy that spells out expectations<\/li>\n<li>an oral policy the manager can change at will<\/li>\n<li>subjective criteria for each individual worker<\/li>\n<li>preference for some people to telecommute over others<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm234061392\">\n<p id=\"fs-idm231194768\">A<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm229834736\">\n<div id=\"fs-idm226423744\">\n<p id=\"fs-idm229764848\">True or false? Telecommuting presents some difficulties for on-site technology departments providing security and technical assistance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm231133216\">\n<p id=\"fs-idm207152336\">True<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm233471664\">\n<div id=\"fs-idm230842192\">\n<p id=\"fs-idm234145712\">True or false? Some telecommuters may be penalized by a perception that they are lazy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm226780112\">\n<p id=\"fs-idm224606720\">True<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm224661728\">\n<div id=\"fs-idm228207376\">\n<p id=\"fs-idm239887552\">How can an employer develop trust in a telecommuting employee?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm234992912\">\n<p id=\"fs-idm212970192\">An employer can communicate clear expectations and then regularly check the employee\u2019s successful completion of tasks according to specifications.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm231856304\">\n<div id=\"fs-idm192180608\">\n<p id=\"fs-idm229374592\">In what ways does telecommuting help companies recruit and retain employees?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm237561264\">\n<p id=\"fs-idm225197936\">Companies can use telecommuting to recruit and retain employees who wish to facilitate work-life balance, or employees from locations that are not within daily travel distance to the facility.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-idm386669232\" class=\"references\">\n<h3>Endnotes<\/h3>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-001-a\">1<\/a>Global Work Analytics, FlexJobs, <em>2017 State of Telecommuting in the U.S. Employee Workforce<\/em>, June 2017. https:\/\/cdn.thepennyhoarder.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/30140000\/State_Of_Telecommuting_U.S._Employee_Workforce.pdf (accessed March 2018); Patricia Reaney, \u201cAbout One in Five Workers Worldwide Telecommute: Poll,\u201d <em>Reuters<\/em>, January 24, 2012. https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-telecommuting\/about-one-in-five-workers-worldwide-telecommute-poll-idUSTRE80N1IL20120124.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-002-a\">2<\/a>Ken Hess, \u201cDeath of the Office and Rise of the Telecommuter,\u201d <em>ZDNet<\/em>, June 2, 2014. http:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/death-of-the-office-and-rise-of-the-telecommuter\/.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-003-a\">3<\/a>\u201c3 Reasons Why Telecommuting Is a Must Have for Working Parents,\u201d FlexJobs, April 24, 2013. https:\/\/www.flexjobs.com\/blog\/post\/3-reasons-why-telecommuting-is-a-must-have-for-working-parents\/; Karla L. Miller, \u201cWork Advice: Working with Parents Who Work from Home,\u201d <em>The Washington Post<\/em>, January 14, 2013. https:\/\/live.washingtonpost.com\/work-advice-101413.html.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-004-a\">4<\/a>Barbara Otto, \u201cSurvey: Telecommuting Is More Than a Perk for Workers with Disabilities,\u201d <em>Huffpost<\/em>, May 8, 2013. https:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/barbara-otto\/telecommuting-is-more-than-a-perk_b_3239553.html.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-005-a\">5<\/a>Mike Maciag, \u201cHow Will the Growing Popularity of Telecommuting Impact Public Transit?\u201d <em>Future Structure<\/em>, November 1, 2017. http:\/\/www.govtech.com\/fs\/transportation\/How-Will-the-Growing-Popularity-of-Telecommuting-Impact-Public-Transit.html.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-006-a\">6<\/a>Sara Sutton Fell, \u201c9 Ways Working from Home Saves You Money,\u201d <em>SFGate<\/em>, April 21, 2013. https:\/\/www.sfgate.com\/jobs\/salary\/article\/9-Ways-Working-from-Home-Saves-You-Money-4456584.php.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-007-a\">7<\/a>Nicholas Bloom, \u201cTo Raise Productivity, Let More Employees Work from Home,\u201d <em>Harvard Business Review<\/em>, January\u2013February 2014. https:\/\/hbr.org\/2014\/01\/to-raise-productivity-let-more-employees-work-from-home.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-008-a\">8<\/a>Amanda Gonzales, \u201cTelecommuting Increases Employee Engagement, Productivity and Overall Happiness!\u201d Colorado Department of Transportation, April 4, 2016. https:\/\/www.codot.gov\/business\/process-improvement\/local-lean\/telecommuting-increases-employee-engagement-productivity-and-overall-happiness.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-009-a\">9<\/a>Greg Kratz, \u201c5 Benefits of Telecommuting for Employers and Employees,\u201d 1 Million for Work Flexibility, June 13, 2017. https:\/\/www.workflexibility.org\/5-benefits-of-telecommuting-for-employers-and-employees\/.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-010-a\">10<\/a>Carolyn Kylstra, \u201c10 Things Your Commute Does to Your Body,\u201d <em>Time<\/em>, February 26, 2014. http:\/\/time.com\/9912\/10-things-your-commute-does-to-your-body\/.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-011-a\">11<\/a>Andrea Loubier, \u201cBenefits of Telecommuting for the Future of Work,\u201d <em>Forbes<\/em>, July 20, 2017. https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/andrealoubier\/2017\/07\/20\/benefits-of-telecommuting-for-the-future-of-work\/#a4f6c9f16c65.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-012-a\">12<\/a>\u201cCosts and Benefits: Advantages of Agile Work Strategies for Companies,\u201d http:\/\/globalworkplaceanalytics.com\/resources\/costs-benefits (accessed May 2018).<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-013-a\">13<\/a>Syracuse Staff, \u201c4 Benefits of Adopting Remote Employees,\u201d Martin J. Whitman School of Management, Syracuse University, September 11, 2015. https:\/\/onlinebusiness.syr.edu\/4-benefits-of-remote-employees\/.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-014-a\">14<\/a>Jessica Howington, \u201cThe Positive Environmental Impact of Remote Work,\u201d FlexJobs, August 9, 2016. https:\/\/www.flexjobs.com\/blog\/post\/the-positive-environmental-impact-of-remote-work\/.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-015-a\">15<\/a>Christopher Tkaczyk, \u201cMarissa Mayer Breaks Her Silence on Yahoo\u2019s Telecommuting Policy,\u201d <em>Fortune<\/em>, April 19, 2013. http:\/\/fortune.com\/2013\/04\/19\/marissa-mayer-breaks-her-silence-on-yahoos-telecommuting-policy\/.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-016-a\">16<\/a>Nicole Spector, \u201cWhy Are Big Companies Calling Their Remote Workers Back to the Office?\u201d <em>ABC News<\/em>, July 27, 2017. https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/business\/business-news\/why-are-big-companies-calling-their-remote-workers-back-office-n787101.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-017-a\">17<\/a>Emily Peck, \u201cProof That Working from Home Is Here to Stay: Even Yahoo Still Does It,\u201d <em>Huffpost<\/em>, December 6, 2017. https:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2015\/03\/18\/the-future-is-happening-now-ok_n_6887998.html.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-018-a\">18<\/a>\u201cPixar Headquarters and the Legacy of Steve Jobs,\u201d <em>Office Snapshots<\/em>, July 16, 2012. https:\/\/officesnapshots.com\/2012\/07\/16\/pixar-headquarters-and-the-legacy-of-steve-jobs\/.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-019-a\">19<\/a>Rachael Go, \u201c7 Deadly Disadvantages of Working from Home and How to Counter Them,\u201d <em>Hubstaff Blog<\/em>, January 9, 2018. https:\/\/blog.hubstaff.com\/disadvantages-of-working-from-home\/.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-020-a\">20<\/a>Trish Barnes, \u201cPros and Cons of Employing Telecommuters,\u201d <em>RMI<\/em>, June 23, 2016. http:\/\/rmi-solutions.com\/blog\/pros-and-cons-of-employing-telecommuters\/.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-021-a\">21<\/a>Rachael Go, \u201c7 Deadly Disadvantages of Working from Home and How to Counter Them,\u201d <em>Hubstaff Blog<\/em>, January 9, 2018. https:\/\/blog.hubstaff.com\/disadvantages-of-working-from-home\/.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-022-a\">22<\/a>Trish Barnes, \u201cPros and Cons of Employing Telecommuters,\u201d <em>RMI<\/em>, June 23, 2016. http:\/\/rmi-solutions.com\/blog\/pros-and-cons-of-employing-telecommuters\/.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-023-a\">23<\/a>Parker Beauchamp, \u201cTelecommuting: the Pros, Cons and Risks of Working from Home,\u201d INGUARD, July 24, 2015. http:\/\/www.inguard.com\/blog\/telecommuting-pros-cons-risks-working-from-home.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-024-a\">24<\/a>Parker Beauchamp, \u201cTelecommuting: the Pros, Cons and Risks of Working from Home,\u201d INGUARD, July 24, 2015. http:\/\/www.inguard.com\/blog\/telecommuting-pros-cons-risks-working-from-home.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-025-a\">25<\/a>Larry Alton, \u201cAre Remote Workers More Productive Than In-Office Workers?\u201d <em>Forbes<\/em>, March 7, 2017. https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/larryalton\/2017\/03\/07\/are-remote-workers-more-productive-than-in-office-workers\/#5e15316931f6.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-026-a\">26<\/a>Melanie Pinola, \u201cBest Jobs for Telecommuting;\u201d <em>Lifewire<\/em>, March 7, 2018. https:\/\/www.lifewire.com\/best-jobs-for-telecommuting-2377295.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-027-a\">27<\/a>Sara Sutton, \u201cWhy Are Companies Still Avoiding Telecommuting?\u201d <em>Entrepreneur<\/em>, November 28, 2014. https:\/\/www.entrepreneur.com\/article\/240189.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-028-a\">28<\/a>Nicole Fallon, \u201c5 Issues Your Company\u2019s Telecommuting Policy Should Address,\u201d <em>Business News Daily<\/em>, March 31, 2017. https:\/\/www.businessnewsdaily.com\/7749-create-telecommuting-policy.html.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-029-a\">29<\/a>Susanna Kim, \u201cBest Buy Follows Yahoo\u2019s Lead, Takes a Look at Employees Working from Home,\u201d <em>ABC News<\/em>, March 6, 2013. https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Business\/best-buy-yahoo-questions-telecommuting\/story?id=18666891.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-030-a\">30<\/a>\u201cWorkplace Flexibility\u2019s Win-Win Streak,\u201d MIT Management Executive Education, September 4, 2016. https:\/\/executive.mit.edu\/blog\/workplace-flexibilitys-win-win-streak#.WnOuzq6nEdU.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-031-a\">31<\/a>George Piskurich, <em>An Organizational Guide to Telecommuting: Setting Up and Running a Successful Telecommuter Program<\/em> (Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training and Development, 1998), 95.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-032-a\">32<\/a>Michael Boyer O\u2019Leary, \u201cTelecommuting Can Boost Productivity and Job Performance,\u201d <em>U.S. News &amp; World Report<\/em>, March 15, 2013. https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/opinion\/articles\/2013\/03\/15\/telecommuting-can-boost-productivity-and-job-performance.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"#rf-033-a\">33<\/a>Samantha McDuffee, \u201cOut of Sight, Out of Mind? 5 Virtual Team Building Activities That Work,\u201d Teambonding, February 9, 2017. https:\/\/www.teambonding.com\/5-team-bondingtips-for-remote-employees\/.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<h3>Glossary<\/h3>\n<dl id=\"fs-idm224605072\">\n<dt>telecommuting<\/dt>\n<dd id=\"fs-idm222731504\">working from a remote location (home or other space) by means of electronic connections<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"menu_order":1,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-209","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":202,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/businessethics\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/209","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/businessethics\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/businessethics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/businessethics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/businessethics\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/209\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":354,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/businessethics\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/209\/revisions\/354"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/businessethics\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/202"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/businessethics\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/209\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/businessethics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=209"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/businessethics\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=209"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/businessethics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=209"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/businessethics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=209"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}