Telecommuting

From P2RxWiki

This article is a working document. We welcome your contributions. Please create an account and Log in to edit or add information.

For help with editing, consult the User's Guide for information on using the wiki software.

Overview

Telecommuting or teleworking, the ability to work remotely with the aid of portable computers, high-speed telecommunication links, and mobile pocket devices. Telecommuting utilizes telecommunications to accomplish job requirements while avoiding all of the inconvenience and expense of physically commuting to work. Specifically, telecommuting is a work arrangement in which employees enjoy flexibility in working location and hours. Many work from home, while others, occasionally also referred to as nomad workers or web commuters utilize mobile telecommunications technology to work from coffee shops or other locations. Telework is a broader term, referring to substituting telecommunications for any form of work-related travel, thereby eliminating the distance restrictions of telecommuting.

Environmental Impact

By working from home, people can eliminate the commute, reduce emissions of pollutants and save in energy and petroleum consumption.

In The Green Book, authors Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas Kostigen report that workers commute an average of 10,000 miles per year and consume 67 billion gallons of gas. Telecommuting reduces vehicle miles traveled per year by more than 35 billion and saves almost 2 billion gallons of gas.

In the 2008 "Smart 2020" report, the Climate Group for the Global e-Sustainability Initiative found that virtual meetings and flexible work arrangements could reduce 70-130 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. (The study was conducted by international management consultants McKinsey & Company and outlines the many ways the tech industry can reduce emissions - telecommuting was at the top of the list.)

Kate Lister, the author of “Undress for Success,” has come up with some impressive figures when it comes to the amount of money that could be saved by switching U.S. employees who have jobs compatible with telecommuting to actually working from home for at least half of their working time. The bottom line, according to Lister, is a potential total saving of $500 billion. Lister’s numbers are based on the telecommuting savings calculator she’s built, using figures from the U.S. census.Currently, less than 2 percent of U.S. employees telecommute for the majority of their work time. An estimated 40 percent of those employees hold jobs that are compatible with telecommuting, however. The savings available if all 40 percent could work from home for at least half of their work time are impressive. These are just a few of the savings that make up that $500 billion bottom line:

Businesses could save over $100 billion — that’s $8,300 per employee — in real estate, electricity, employee turnover and absenteeism costs. There are other potential savings in security, maintenance, parking, ADA compliance and, of course, coffee.

More than 218 million barrels of oil could be saved which, at the price of $80 per barrel, translates to a savings of $17 billion, and could reduce Persian Gulf oil imports by 28 percent.

Employees could save between $3,400 and $10,500 in transportation and other work-related costs, not including eliminating daycare or taking account of the home office tax breaks that many telecommuters are eligible for.

More than 73,000 people could avoid traffic-related injury or death, together with almost $8 billion worth of accident-related costs. Telecommuting won’t wipe out traffic accidents, but it could make a dent in the numbers.

When Jennifer Kaplan, who writes for ecopreneurist.com, calculated telecommuting figures for the Washington D.C. area, she found out that 4 percent of the population there telecommutes, saving the planet 23,326 tons of CO2 in addition to $807 a year in gas for each telecommuter.

The study, The Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Impact of Telecommuting and e-Commerce (PDF), conducted by TIAX , found that:

Just one day of telecommuting saves the equivalent of up to 12 hours of an average household’s electricity use. Telecommuting also saves 1.4 gallons of gasoline and reduces CO2 emissions by 17 to 23 kilograms per day.

Using electronics to telecommute saves the equivalent of 9 to 14 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year – the same amount of energy used by roughly 1 million U.S. households every year, according to a study commissioned by the Consumer Electronics Association.

The estimated 3.9 million telecommuters in the U.S. reduced gasoline consumption by about 840 million gallons, while curbing carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 14 million tons. This level of CO2 reduction is equal to removing 2 million vehicles from the road every year.

Benefits of Telecommuting

1. Conserving Energy: Although energy utilization will continue to grow as we expand our industry and improve our standard of living, efficient use of energy will always be of prime importance. By telecommuting to work instead of using more conventional methods, there is a great potential to save energy. The three major areas where energy can be conserved are:

Vehicle-related materials and resources;

Highway-related materials and resources; and

Office-related materials and resources.

2. Preserves Our Environment by reducing land use requirements for highway expansion and by reducing slow-moving automobile emissions.

3. Promotes Safety by reducing highway use by people rushing to get to work.

4. Improves Health by reducing stress related to compromises made between Family and Work.

5. Allows closer proximity to and involvement with family. Working in the home offers people a greater opportunity to share quality time with family members, to promote family values and develop stronger family ties and unity.

6. Allows proximity to extended family (location where employee has "roots"). There are a wide range of scenarios that constitute what is best for any given individual or any given family. Through telecommuting, a person can work for a company in one part of the world, while living in another.

7. Allows selection of a remote worksite that is mutually acceptable to all family members and allows spouse an opportunity to pursue his/her career.

8. Allows employee freedom to choose an environment that is more suitable from a social and economic standpoint and to live in an area with people of common interests.

9. Improves Productivity: Time saved can be used to improve productivity.

10. Reduces number of people "job hopping"; decreasing training requirements.

11. Saves Money: The research conducted by the Telework Research Network is based on the use of the Telework Savings Calculator tool created by Telework Research Network several years ago. The average savings noted for an employer per employee that is teleworking half-time, is an astounding $10,000 per year, while the direct savings to the employee is estimated to be anywhere from $2,000 to $8,000 per year.

Telecommuting Resources/Guides

Telework Trendlines 2009 A Survey Brief by WorldatWork on Telecommuting Trends

Healthy People 2020 Environmental Health Objectives Lists telecommuting and alternative modes of transportation for work

Framework Agreement on Telework

JALA International Overview of telework, telecommuting, and applied futures research consulting services.

Gill Gordon & Associates Provides information to individuals and companies on telecommuting programs.

InnoVisions Canada Source of information about telework and telecommuting, with information about the Canadian Telework Association, a non-profit association dedicated to promoting telework.

Oregon Office of Energy Telework Web Site Information on telecommuting, how it works, how it benefits employees and employers and how to start or improve a telework program.

SafeWork Teleworking - PDF report on teleworking.

Scatterwork - The company specializes in infrastructure and processes for teleworking and virtual teams in small and medium enterprises that want to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

Sloan Work and Family Research Network - Telework Topics Research and resources about telecommuting plus additional work and family topics.

Telecommunications and Travel Behavior Research Program At the University of California, Davis. Information on projects, staff, publication and related sites.

Telecommute CT Telecommute Connecticut! is a statewide initiative providing free assistance to employers with the design, development and implementation of telecommuting as a worksite alternative. Lots of great resources and information for telecommuters.

Telecommuting360 Telecommuting360 is an organization of telecommuters, providers and companies dedicated to bringing resources and people together to solve the ongoing issues surrounding telecommuting.

Telework Advocacy Telework Advocacy is a large group of forward-thinking influencers and decision makers who understand the benefits that a properly-constructed telework model can provide for the employee, employer and the environment.

Telework Enhancement Act of 2007 Senate bill to, "ensure that eligible employees participate in telework to the maximum extent possible without diminishing employee performance or agency operations."

Telework Exchange A public-private partnership focused on demonstrating the tangible value of telework, particularly within the US Federal teleworker community. Provides value and eligibility calculators, research studies, and useful tools.

Telework!VA Free resources, expert telework assistance, and financial incentives provided by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transport for Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and Richmond companies to encourage work-at-home programs.

Telework Benefits The benefits of telecommuting for employers and for teleworkers.

The Rat Race Rebellion Links to telework self-assessments, tools, organizations, telework-friendly companies, helpful articles, and recommended readings.

The Telework Coalition News, tools, facts, reference materials and links to telework and telecommuting resource and companies including telemedicine and distance learning applications

The Telework Network TeleworkNetwork.com is a network of ideas and people which provide the tools to learn about, succeed, and survive the telework world.

Undress4Success Blog offering advice on how to find legitimate home based businesses, work from home jobs with traditional employers, and freelance work.

World of Work Portal Portal for small business, self employment, teleworking information and resources.

SonicWall Top Ten Trends of Telecommuting