Working Remote

An office with a view!

On a sixty degree morning, armed with my cup of coffee and MiFi device, I started the first of my two working days spent in Mark Twain National Forest. I approached my tasks and meetings with a focused calm that isn't typical in a normal day thanks to the fresh air and natural soundtrack. I was working remote in the most literal sense; from a cabin in the woods.

My role on a dispersed team at a technology company affords me the opportunity to work where I choose. This is a privilege that I try not to take for granted, but it does always surprise me when other professionals talk about their strict 9-5 environments. With so many tools and technologies at our disposal, how could a company possibly argue against a more flexible work environment?

While less than 3% of workers operate out of their homes, that is still 3.7 million people and growing. The financial statistics around telecommuting are staggering: "If those with compatible jobs and a desire to work from home did so just half the time (roughly the national average for those who do so regularly) the national savings would total over $700 Billion a year including:

• A typical business would save $11,000 per person per year

• The telecommuters would save between $2,000 and $7,000 a year

• The greenhouse gas reduction would be the equivalent of taking the entire New York State workforce permanently off the road."

The argument against these practices is likely more fear of the unknown than of actual substance. If you cannot see an employee working, how do you know they are getting their work done? Trust and results. A focus on deliverables rather than day-to-day tasks. With our changing workforce demographics and supporting technology improvements, the case against a flexible work environment continues to weaken while employees get the option to take control of their schedule.