Teleconferencing

and very knowledgeable about their job. Potentially successfully
supervisors should trust employees, have a positive
attitude toward telecommuting, be flexible, and be
able to communicate well.
EQUIPMENT COSTS AND
PROCUREMENT
Any equipment that works well in the office also works
well in the home office. The costs of the equipment and
supplies are usually borne by the employer. According to
Cisco, the cost for setting up a teleworker is between $500
and $1,500, depending on the technology needed. If a
notebook computer is included, the cost could go up to
$2,500.
The recommended equipment includes a notebook
computer with a docking station at the office; all-in-one
system (scanner, printer, fax machine, copier); quality
phone and voice mail; dedicated phone lines; and Internet
access. Telecommuters may also be set up with Webconferencing
capabilities allowing them to sit in on office
meetings via modem and webcam, or at the very least, a
conference call.
IMPLICATIONS FOR TRAINING
As economic and demographic changes force telecommuting
to become a reality for organizations and employees,
there is a tremendous demand for training. A
curriculum for a successful telecommuting program
should include the following subjects: keyboarding, work
environment, office automation, time management, performance-
based evaluation, decision making, and ethics.
According to the City of Los Angeles Telecommuting
Task Force report, training for home telecommuters
should include how to set up a home office, how to start
and stop working, how to control interruptions, and how
to develop a results orientation to work assignments. The
training for supervisors should include establishing performance
standards for telecommuters, troubleshooting
potential problems, and selecting the right employee and
the right task.
SUMMARY
As the global economy in the information age evolves,
telecommuting will increasingly become a popular work
style. Many companies are turning to telecommuting to
solve the dilemma of recruiting and retaining quality
employees, controlling costs of office space, and meeting
environmental standards. The major national advantages
for telecommuting include savings in gasoline, a reduction
in pollution, a decrease in traffic congestion, and lower
highway accident rates.
For a successful telecommuting program, top-down
support is vital, employee support is necessary, screening
is important, training is essential, and guidelines are
required. Major capital investments are not necessary.
Telecommuting should be customized for each agency,
each employee, and each task.
As Peter Drucker summed up telecommuting,
“Commuting to office work is obsolete. It is now infinitely
easier, cheaper, and faster to … move information … to where the people are” (Drucker, 1993, p. 340).