However, even though you might fall into one of the job types that work best for telecommuting, your employer might not be aware of the benefits. If you’re interested in having a work-from-home or other type of telecommute job, you might be able to negotiate one with your business, especially if they know how and why telecommuting can be so beneficial to productivity and other areas. Think about all the different things an employer has to provide to keep an employee afloat at a business. Aside from the obvious like water and electricity, there are recurring office supplies, oftentimes food, company vehicles in some cases, and more. On top of that, if employees are working at home or a remote location where travel is limited or not required, they save on travel expenses, which is one way an employer can offer a telecommuter a smaller wage while still benefiting the employee. The number of telecommuting employees any business can support is basically only limited by available funds since they can work anywhere in the world, so future growth isn’t limited by available office space. All this cost savings flow through the company in several ways, from being able to provide a better service, pay their employees better, grow the brand, innovate, expand the workforce, etc. Employees become more productive when they telecommute because there are fewer distractions, minimal (if any) socializing, zero over-the-shoulder management, and less stress. Telecommuters also usually have a greater sense of control over responsibility toward their work, which contributes to better work product and satisfaction. This translates to not only a better home life since they’re in total control of what they can get done at home but also an employee who still manages to get work done despite personal obstructions that would normally force a regular worker to stay home. Telecommuters and mobile workers can work in bad weather when children are home sick or during school closings, and in other instances where regular employees might instead take a personal or sick day. Reducing unscheduled absenteeism can save large employers over $1 million per year and increase staff morale overall. Telework programs also enable both large and small companies to maintain their operations during times of emergency, severe weather events, or when there are concerns over health epidemics like the flu. Telework programs also help companies retain employees with common circumstances such as needing to care for sick family members, starting a new family, or needing to relocate for personal reasons. Reducing turnover saves on considerable recruiting costs. Telecommuting is also an excellent incentive when looking for additional skilled staff in occupations that are high in demand. One-third of CFOs in one survey said that a telecommuting program was the best way to attract top talent. This focus makes it not only easier to get work done due to fewer distractions but also provides a stress-free environment for speaking to managers and providing critical feedback, things that are sometimes difficult for regular employees to do. The Climate Group for the Global e-Sustainability Initiative indicates that telecommuting and technologies such as online video conferencing decrease tons of carbon dioxide each year.
