Employers Weigh Benefits of Telecommuting Versus “Face Time”

Will employers trust that employees are capable of doing their jobs without being monitored and supervised in person? That is the crucial question employers contemplate before allowing telecommuting. As the Christian Science Monitor reports:

Bosses come in two types: those who want their employees to be present every day, and those who trust them to work anywhere.

Amanda Farmer knows which kind she prefers. During 18 months at a ­public-relations agency in New York, she says, “Our desks were set up so that our bosses literally looked over our shoulders all day. This constant vigilance made me less productive.”

Now, as an account manager for a public-relations firm in Waco, Texas, Ms. Farmer telecommutes from her home in Austin. Although she sees her boss, Elizabeth Anderson, only once every three months, both find that the long-distance arrangement works well.

“It’s a nonissue,” Ms. Anderson says.

Yet “face time” – in-person contact with bosses and co-workers – is an issue in many businesses. More than 28 million Americans work at least one day a month from home, according to WorldatWork, a national organization of human-resource professionals. That figure could reach 100 million by 2010.

As the numbers swell, questions arise about how much face time is necessary. Despite lingering resistance on the part of many bosses, attitudes are changing, and some firms are devising inventive ways to maintain connections.

The article continues.

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