What is Telecommuting?

Because of recent technological advancements, such as video conferencing and virtual collaboration tools, remote work has never been more widespread. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many companies to take their operations remote if at all possible, encouraging workplaces to adapt to virtual-forward strategies, which prioritize digital communication and collaboration over in-person interactions. 

Many small businesses are embracing some form of telecommuting to save money, increase employee satisfaction through enhanced flexibility, and attract employees from a larger talent pool.

‍

Small businesses can gain many benefits from incorporating telecommuting. First, it can bring cost savings, especially from cutting down on office-related expenses. Since the pandemic began, many businesses have decided to close their brick-and-mortar stores or headquarters and do their work remotely. 

Employees also often enjoy the flexibility offered by remote working. As the name implies, telecommuting removes the need for physical commuting to an office, saving many workers a significant amount of time in their days. This independence and control over their work environment can be empowering. Finally, when it comes to hiring, working virtually allows businesses to recruit from a global talent pool.

Telecommuting can lead to substantial cost savings and improved employee flexibility for small businesses.

‍

Of course, this offering does come with challenges. It can be more difficult to create a cohesive and collaborative company culture when people spend a lot of time apart. Maintaining the digital infrastructure necessary for successful remote work also requires time and money. 

Increased reliance on telecommuting can raise privacy and security concerns. Finally, some employers struggle to determine how much freedom and autonomy they give their employees working outside the office.

Small businesses may struggle to foster a collaborative culture, ensure cybersecurity, and manage employee autonomy in a remote work environment.

‍

With the increased adoption of remote work over the last decade and continued technological advancement, the reliance on telecommuting is likely to grow. Whether more offices go completely remote or offer some kind of hybrid model, which balances days required in-office with days of remote work, is still yet to be seen. However, the potential for growth and advancement in this field is promising. Additionally, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and related tools will likely scale productivity for workers in and outside offices.

The future of telecommuting will likely feature more advanced technology like AI and adopting hybrid work models that combine in-office and remote work.

‍

Small businesses can consider offering telecommuting options to save on office overhead and improve employee engagement. Begin by assessing your infrastructure to support a virtual workforce and the teammates who can effectively enforce policies around it. 

However, you choose to establish telecommuting, create rules around it, and communicate expectations to all workers. Clear and consistent communication is key to ensuring everyone is on the same page. Train employees on remote working and cybersecurity best practices. Finally, take extra care to foster a strong company culture, whether through organizational traditions, virtual or in-person events, and open communication policies.

Small businesses implementing telecommuting policies should establish clear expectations for remote work and aim to foster best practices around virtual communication.

‍