| December 2006 |
| By Nathan G. Jensen |
Imagine rolling out of bed at 7:45, eating a bowl of cereal with your morning news, and still getting to work before 8 o’clock. After sliding into your ultra-comfortable office chair you begin checking your email and voicemail. Your home office space is comfortable, private and uniquely you. It doesn’t get much better than working from home.
With the advent of high-speed Internet, teleconferencing, and globally disparate teams, IT telecommuting has become an increasingly feasible reality for many IT professionals. In 2005, over 45 million Americans worked from home according to the International Telework Association and Council. “The ability for people to work from anywhere is attributed in part to increasing availability of portable computer and high-speed communication technologies,” said Robert Smith, Director of ITAC.
For those that can get the gig it's a dream come true.
Telecommuting offers advantages to both workers and employers. Workers get the convenience and flexibility of an at-home work experience while employers conserve office space and cut costs. I'll discuss how you can make telecommuting a reality and start living the dream.
When I tell people that I telecommute from my home office I invariably get one of two reactions. Either “I could never do that!” or “How nice would that be!” Telecommuting is not for everyone. Some people would go crazy working from home or would never get any work done—or both. Water coolers, fluorescents, and chatter from the neighboring cube is the urban jungle where they belong. And then there are many who would love to telecommute but the type of work they do makes that impractical. For everyone else, read on!
Unless you’re self employed, being able to telecommute probably means seeking permission from your boss. Most importantly you must superimpose your pitch against the framework of what’s in it for your boss. Taking the I-really-really-really-want-to-do-this approach is sure to get you a what-part-of-no-don’t-you-understand response. Here are some proven strategies and techniques for pitching the idea to the powers-that-be.
Office Space & Cost Savings
Many companies have a shortage of office space. You can use this to your advantage. Also, on-floor employees incur substantial costs for the company, not least of which is the cost of the office space itself. Pitch the fact that by teleworking you’ll be freeing up space and saving money.
Increased Productivity
Aside from a few phone calls, not much work can be done in the car driving to and from work. Convince your boss that you’ll be able to spend that commute time working instead of driving. Explain that the spike in your productivity will be immediate and measurable.
Additionally, interruptions at work cause plenty of involuntary downtime. How often does a coworker stop by your office or cube just to chat? How often do you get dragged into meetings that you really don’t need to be at, just because you’re around? Outline for your boss the sheer quantity of interruptions that will be cut out by teleworking, and thus bring immediate productivity gains.
And don’t forget how easy it will be to put in an extra hour or two of work each night after the kids go to bed. Or each morning before breakfast. Give your boss a guarantee of (1) more hours worked and (2) better productivity for each of those hours. The productivity benefits alone can help you build a compelling case.
You Must Have the Tools
When pitching to your boss, make sure you have a viable home office set up and ready to go. When you can truthfully state that you have high-speed Internet, a good computer, a dedicated phone line, an enclosed office, and plenty of office supplies—you’ll come across as serious and well prepared. If there is any hint that you don’t have your ducks in a row, or that you haven’t completely thought through the arrangement, it might be au revoir to telecommuting!
Delighted Captive
Your odds of swaying the boss are directly proportional to your value to the company and your proven work ethic. Only indispensable high performers should attempt this pitch or else you’ll be shot down before you’ve left the runway. If management would be devastated to lose you then that is your true ace and bargaining chip. Played cautiously, this card can bend your boss to your will and greenlight the deal. Float the idea that if you are allowed to telecommute you will in essence become a delighted captive of the company forever. You and your boss both know that this sweet setup would probably go away if you jumped ship, and this is a powerful means of retaining you long term. Equate telecommuting with long-term retention and you’ll have serious leverage.
Put It In Writing
Depending on your oration skills (or lack thereof), you’re almost always better off backing up your pitch with something in writing. Not only does this further the perception that you’re really serious, but it also allows the boss to visualize all the benefits at once. Use bullet points and spell out the advantages to the company and to yourself. Spin the document in the direction of wanting to become more productive for the company so that it doesn’t come across merely as a desire to sleep in and work in your pajamas.
Clean and Green
One final technique may rest upon whether your boss is socially or environmentally conscious. You can accurately claim that companies can make a difference toward cleaner air and unclogged freeways by allowing more of their employees to work from home.
Telecommuting can be good for companies and great for employees. Perhaps one day traditional brick-and-mortar offices will go the way of the horse and buggy. By carefully preparing your pitch and getting all your ducks in a row, you may soon be able to start living the dream.
Nathan G. Jensen is a Lead Web Developer living in Salt Lake City.
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