Working Here, There and Everywhere

Interest on telecommuting has grown through the years because studies conducted show that telecommuting gives more time to people to attend to personal concerns without necessarily compromising productivity. It also helps a company reduce expenditures.

The developments in technology, coupled with these perceived benefits, have fueled the growth of telecommuting. Connectivity and availability are some of the essential areas of telecommuting which have to be fulfilled. Technology has fulfilled these requirements. Cellular phones allow a person to be reached at any time and in any place. Correspondence is also enhanced through the Internet. Aside from merely sending and receiving messages, it allows for discussions and information exchange. Wireless communication has also been enhanced with the emergence of PDAs and laptops. People can now work in the comfort of their homes since all the information and communication tools they need are within their reach.

Telecommuting is not without certain limitations and apprehensions. In the first place, management styles have been based on traditional work environments of employees being in one specific place within a particular time period. This lends a sense of security to top management since they are assured that the other members of the company are all within reach.

With telecommuting, this security is somewhat breached. Sometimes technology fails such as when the equipment breaks down or the connections are disrupted. It also becomes difficult to sometimes monitor the work habits and quality of output of employees. In addition, communication through technology cannot fully replace actual dialogue.