Did you know that when given the opportunity, only 1 in 5 choose to telecommute?
Working remotely has its pros and cons and is not for everyone. Find out if it is a good fit for you by asking yourself the following questions and considering the potential challenges.
Consider these:
- Are you able to work with minimal direct supervision?
- Have you been in your job or department long enough to be able to solve many of your own problems and answer many of your own questions?
- Have you demonstrated the ability to “deliver the goods” on time and according to specifications?
- Do you have good time-management skills?
- Have you demonstrated the ability to initiate and guide your own work without needing reminders to get the job done?
- Can you communicate effectively with a variety of others, using a mix of personal and electronic means as is appropriate?
Telecommuting sounds great but what are some of the potential challenges one should consider before trying it out?
- Less face time with your boss and coworkers – out of sight can mean out of mind.
- Taking meetings by phone means you lose the information transmitted by eye contact, facial expression, and body language.
- More challenging to learn and receive guidance from co-workers and your boss.
- Fewer chances to directly oversee subordinates.
- Sense of isolation working alone in your home.
- Potential distractions in your house (the fridge calling you, the dirty laundry calling you, urges to tidy up around the house, an unexpected visit from the neighbor).
- Interruptions from friends and family who don’t understand that working from home still means working.
- Working too much – not being able to stop at the end of the workday.
- Losing your downtime opportunity to listen to music, think, or read on your way to and from work.
If you are considering working from home or are already doing so for at least part of the work week, are you doing everything you can to be successful?
Sign up for our half-day, Being a Successful Remote Worker class scheduled on August 23rd.
Content from Government Training, Inc’s Handbook for Managing Teleworkers by Sandra Gurvis and Don Philpott
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