In 1997, only 9% of small businesses allowed telecommuting; today, that number is up to 44%. The benefits of a telecommuting program include increased worker productivity, reduced turnover and absenteeism, and considerable savings on time, gas and other expenses. It also can significantly reduce the carbon-cost of your own commute and of your entire workplace. At the Alliance, we have been experimenting (successfully!) with ways to enable more of our employees to telecommute and to do so more often.
Below is some great information on telecommuting, but before going down that path, you may want to ask yourself (and your boss & coworkers!) if teleworking is really right for you, your position and your organization. Do you have a place where you can truly concentrate, and have a quiet area suitable for professional phone calls? Is your work ethic such that you can manage the inevitable distractions, including proximity to those snacks you made last night? Do your job duties lend themselves to working away from the office? Here is a great article on determining if teleworking is right for you, and if so, how to convince your boss and others: http://www.quintcareers.com/telecommuting_options.html.
The following list of resources offers strategies, documents, and tips for implementing a successful telecommuting program. Take the Telecommuting Challenge!
- Denver Regional Council of Governments Telework Toolkit
- Colorado Department of Transportation Commuter Choices
- National Renewal Energy Laboratory Flexible Work Strategies
- eWorkplace Blog for a state-sponsored program for Minnesota Twin Cities Metro Area employers
- 10 Myths about Telecommuting
- Tips for working from home
Already excited about your telecommuting experiences? Share your experiences or provide information to the Alliance’s Statewide Sustainability Network!
