With a fairly long commute (45 miles each way) and gas above $3 per gallon I have been doing a little homework on telecommuting, also known as telework.
The Office of Personnel Management and the General Services Administration have some extensive telework resources for federal employees. The site www.telework.gov is full of great information including resources for identifying good candidates for telework, maintaining a good working environment when some employees telework and others do not, and evaluating the performance of teleworkers.
More pertinent to higher education, the University of Minnesota has much of their telecommuting policies and agreements available online at this page including a supervisor’s toolkit for implementing telecommuting. They outline the following potential benefits of telecommuting:
Society:
• Supports the Clean Air Act/Reduces air pollution
• Reduces traffic congestion, fuel consumption
• Supports the Americans with Disabilities Act
• Provides more job opportunities for the disabled, part-time, and semi-retired
University Units:
• Enhances employee productivity and work quality
• Increases long-term recruiting, retention, and loyalty of employees
• Improves employee morale and job satisfaction
• Increases workforce diversity by widening of labor pool
• Reduces overhead costs, especially in capital investments
• Reduces employee sick leave and absenteeism
• Enhances employer image in partnership with 21st century
• Enables employees to work during weather emergencies
Employee:
• Enhances job productivity and work quality
• Improves morale and job satisfaction
• Provides greater degree of responsibility
• Provides greater lifestyle flexibility in meeting family and job needs
• Reduces commuting time and stress
• Reduces transportation costs
• Provides satisfaction from greater employer trust
Of course there are more resources out there, but I believe these two are a good starting point for any employer or employee.
While my institution does not recognize telecommuting, well, let’s just say I’ve still been doing a lot of thinking about it. Hey, it’s better than looking for another job…
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