Beyond Computing, May 1998, Volume 7, Number 4

ON THE ROAD

Telecommuting Productively

by Ara C. Trembly

As the ranks of telecommuters continue to grow, more companies are considering the benefits of this practice, and a number have established a formal telecommuting program.

Business development writer Eric Marks has a grueling four-hour round-trip commute to his job, but he doesn't mind. You see, he's rarely in the office.

Marks has joined the growing ranks of telecommuters, who do their work at home or in some place other than their employer's office. His client, Devon Direct Marketing and Advertising, is located in Berwyn, Pa., but Marks maintains an office in his home in northern New Jersey, where he writes new business proposals, case studies and direct-mail pieces. "I can do all my work by e-mail, fax and phone," he explains.

Marks' equipment includes a Toshiba Satellite Pro laptop, which is equipped with a 28.8Kbit PCMCIA Motorola Montana modem, and a Dell Dimension desktop PC with 3Com's U.S. Robotics Sportster 28.8Kbit fax modem. He accesses his e-mail through America Online, with Netcom as a backup. Using this setup, as well as the fax capabilities of Windows 95, Marks is able to conduct business as if he were in the corporate office.

Marks designed his telecommuting scenario in concert with his client. However, Daniel Montag, an intranet developer for AT&T in Parsippany, N.J., says his company already had a strong telecommuting policy in place when he decided to telecommute.

"The company pays for an extra phone line in my home and gives me everything I need to work online," he reports. Montag works at his home in Far Rockaway, N.Y., most Wednesdays and Fridays. Even when there is an on-site meeting in the office, he can often attend via conference call. The only rule is that he must inform his unit's secretary on the days that he telecommutes.

At home, Montag works on an AT&T Globalyst 530 PC supplied by his employer. "I have it set up as a LINUX 4.0 server, so I can do most of my programming without connecting to other services, such as remote servers, libraries and databases," he says. If a connection is necessary, Montag uses a 33.6Kbit Sportster modem. And, when he travels, he brings along his Toshiba Satellite 225CDS laptop.

Another company that takes its telecommuting seriously is Merrill Lynch. "We've had telecommuting informally since the 1980s," recalls Camille Manfredonia, vice president and director of the Alternative Work Arrangements Project at the company's Somerset, N.J., facility.

Later, the company viewed the implementation of the 1992 Clean Air Act in New Jersey as an opportunity to expand telecommuting by reducing emissions from commuters' autos. So Merrill Lynch brought in a trainer and initiated a pilot project in which 36 employees became telecommuters.

At the end of the project, half of those employees continued to telecommute. Manfredonia cited productivity gains and the fact that both workers and managers liked the arrangement as proof of the concept's viability.

Armed with that proof, the company formed a corporatewide task force on alternative work arrangements, including flexible hours, job sharing, part-time and limited-hours work, and telecommuting. At the same time, Manfredonia began a task force in her group, the Private Client Technology Division. The two task forces meet on an ongoing basis to consider all aspects of alternative work, including legal, medical compliance, insurance and risk issues.

"The company rolled out its Alternative Work Arrangements Project in 1996, and we rolled out our division's program at the same time," Manfredonia reports. Under the guidelines of the program, a candidate for telecommuting must fill out an in-depth application that includes questions about equipment needs and security issues. The application is submitted to Manfredonia's team and the employee's manager.

The team checks to see if both the position and the employee match the successful profiles they have gleaned from their pilot research. "We've identified which jobs can be done by telecommuters -- such as human resources administration and application development -- and which can't," she states. "There must be a positive impact on the employee, the manager and the company."

SETTING UP SHOP
Once an employee has been approved for telecommuting, he or she undergoes an in-depth training program, which includes a two-hour session on ergonomic issues, time management and potential problems in a work-at-home environment. The employee's manager gets similar training, as well as a session on how to manage remotely, focusing on problem resolution and keeping the telecommuter "in the loop."

The employee and the manager also get together for two hours to discuss the telecommuting schedule and any unresolved issues. Next, the Alternative Work team conducts an interview with the employee to make certain that all the technology needed for the home office is supplied.

Finally, the Merrill Lynch telecommuting candidate spends two weeks in the company's Telecommuting Simulation Lab, which is separate from the rest of the facility. Here the employee works on the actual equipment he or she will take home, while remaining physically isolated from coworkers and managers. The only interactions are through phone calls or e-mail. "There is no face-to-face interaction, because we want employees to get used to what it will be like working at home," Manfredonia explains.

Once the lab session is complete, employees begin telecommuting. The company provides ongoing technical support, and there are quarterly follow-ups by the Alternative Work team to check on the status of the arrangement. Telecommuting employees are required to come to the office at least one day a week, although most come twice a week to foster a sense of teamwork.

"This program is working well," Manfredonia observes, adding that her group is in the process of quantifying the benefits. "Productivity is up, sick time is down, and we've been able to attract and retain some key employees." She also says that telecommuting is partially responsible for higher morale among the employees in her division, as reported in a 1997 survey."Our people can better balance their personal and business responsibilities. This leads to lower stress and happier employees."

Not surprisingly, firms in which some employees are rarely -- or never -- required to be physically present are the best candidates for telecommuting. A call center is a good example of that type of enterprise.

For companies planning to establish telecommuting programs, the first step is drawing up a definitive plan, according to Drew Arlo, vice president of Infinite Technology Group, a systems integrator in Mineola, N.Y., that has set up both individuals and groups for work at home. "Sit down with the employee and review what capabilities are needed at home -- especially the communications lines," Arlo advises.

Another key is that the telecommuter's equipment should mirror the company's, Arlo points out. Often, a home PC will not have the extensive memory or the latest software that the office system has. While it may seem like a good idea to simply upgrade that employee's home PC, such an upgrade may cost more than $1,000 when a technician's time is included. "In those cases, you may be better off buying a brand new system," he says.

Devon's Marks offers a final bit of advice for would-be telecommuters. "You need to understand your company's business, and to be able to contribute to the organization without being physically there," he concludes. "If you don't add real value and you're never there, they'll just forget about you after a while."

Ara C. Trembly is a Metuchen, N.J.-based technology writer.  

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