Telecommuting

The number of people telecommuting is increasing these days more than ever. The internet and state of the art technology make it easier than a few years ago.

But perhaps this phenomenon needs to be explored a bit further. Are companies gaining productivity and efficiency?.  Are workers better able to balance their long days at work with their personal lives?

By letting ourselves go with the trending flow, we may feel the answer to these questions is “yes”, but, not everybody seems to appreciate the apparent benefits of telecommuting in the same way.

Last week the head of Yahoo sent a memo to all their staff banning such a practice. In this particular CEO´s opinion, working at the office can be a plus to some profiles types. She is of the mind that interacting with other fellow colleagues provides an environment where a serendipitous idea could flare up on the spur of the moment.

 

The announcement has galvanized all kinds of opinions. There are people applauding the decision and labeling it as a courageous movement, especially because of the ailing state of the company and the services it sells; we should not forget that thanks to their services many workers from other companies are able to apply themselves from a distance.

On the other side, the idea has its detractors. The head of yahoo has been severely lambasted by those who feel their professions are in peril after the news. They are chiefly the freelancers and consultants of the tech world.

I know of a few colleagues who would grab the opportunity to not have to get dressed and drive to the office at the precise moment it turned up, arguing that they could distribute their time much more efficiently than the company does. The reasoning is sound, but I only agree up to a certain point.

Personally, I've never telecommuted and I think, for me, it would take a lot of getting used to, if the chance ever arose. Even for a simple task, I feel clumsy if not wearing a tie.

The joy of being at home would peter out on realizing that preparing a coffee is not as easy as slotting in a coin and pressing the cappuccino button.