More and more employers and employees are opting for alternative work situations, particularly those which help companies recruit and retain women and which help women better balance work and family. The alternative of choice is for an employee to function in her or his usual job role, but as a telecommuter rather than in a traditional office environment.

Teleworking can be defined in many ways. In the broadest definition, it is any employee who works outside a traditional office environment, either full or part time. Often these workers are called teleworkers, telecommuters, Virtual office workers or road warriors. More narrowly defined, it is an employee who has a fixed office at home which includes a host location with a combination of voice, video, or data communications, maintaining the support provided by the traditional office. The real difference in teleworking is the flexibility provided to the worker.

There are substantial, quantifiable benefits to the employer as well. For the employer, the cost of a well-run telework program is less than a traditional office setting. They also get the benefit of higher productivity from their teleworkers, better retention, higher employee satisfaction and itÌs considered a great tool for recruiting.

The employee benefits in other ways also. Commuting time is eliminated; in many major metropolitan areas this represents a couple of hours a day. This time saving and hassle avoidance contributes to the reduced stress reported by almost every person who becomes a teleworker . It also aids work/home life balance. The teleworker also achieves savings on transportation costs such as gasoline, wear and tear on cars, or mass transit fees, and the end result is reduced pollution, alleviating some of the toll which commuting takes on a clean, healthy environment. Teleworkers also save money by not having to go out for lunch, reducing their dry cleaning bills, and a host of other minor expenses that creep up because of the daily grind of going into the office.

If this sounds like something that you or your employer/employee might be interested in, the following are some guidelines to follow for a successful effort. Remember that this must be a team effort for it work.

The decision to telework should be reached as a joint agreement between all effected parties. Before you explore too far into "can I", you will need to resolve "may I". The decision to allow teleworking must first be made on a company level and then departments and workgroups must determine if their duties can be effectively managed through teleworking. If you are unaware of a teleworking decision having been made at your level, discuss the possibility with your manager. Our web site, www.tmanage.com, can help them make an informed decision.

Ask yourself, do your job duties allow for teleworking? With the help of technology, many jobs are well suited to teleworking. These include call centers, programmers, project managers and sales. How much of your day requires face to face interaction with people at your office? Could you manage your duties through a combination of phone and computer equipment?

Equally important to the potential teleworker are the personal issues. You must ask yourself "Can I work in a remotely managed environment?", "Can I work at my home and be disciplined enough to properly maintain my work scheduled?" "Do I have room to work from home?" These and other questions must be studied.

Be aware, there are mistakes that can be made by telecommuters. Fortunately they are very avoidable. Remember first and foremost that as a teleworker, you are on company time, the same way that as if you were at the office. Conduct yourself as though your supervisor is in the other room. Make sure others in your household respect your work schedule. Remember teleworking is not a substitute for child care or adult care. Schedule personal appointments outside business hours or follow whatever policies apply when that isnÌt possible. Approach teleworking conservatively and with common sense, if you have any question about any activity you might undertake while teleworking, consult your manager first.

Some of you will be viewing this idea from an employerÌs perspective. The business concept has been well received. Industry studies and individual corporate case studies concur that teleworking advantages are real and quantifiable. Teleworking is also pervasive, 80% of all large companies have teleworkers. Most are in informal programs that are managed on a work group basis or lower and donÌt enjoy the scaling benefits a large program offers. Still they are considered a necessity in todayÌs business climate.

Teleworking is changing the way the world works. It is taking all the technological advances over the last two decades and bundling them together to provide a unique opportunity for employers, employees, governments and communities to win. It is an exciting field with lots of opportunities. This is the first in a series of articles that are meant to bring clarity to this subject and show how you can leverage your time and talents, better balance your work and family, and advance toward your goals through teleworking.

About the author

"I am the vice president of vendor relations and cofounder of TManage, Inc. The part that I, through my work with T-Manage, may have on making the world a better, healthier place is my main source of motivation toward this effort. I have worked in the telecommunications industry for twenty-three years for a major provider before leaving to co-found TManage. I have a BS and an MBA from the University of Texas-Dallas and the University of Dallas, respectively. TManage is a 120 employee company based in Austin Texas servicing corporate teleworker needs on a national basis. Our mission at TManage is to assist in the organizational and technical aspects of setting up teleworkers and distributed work force programs. We also provide ongoing technical support and management to insure a program's optimal performance. TManage is excited to have the opportunity to provide information on all the areas of teleworking. The expertise we have under our roof is unmatched. If you would like to make any comments or suggest any subjects of interest feel free to email me at terry@tmanage.com."

Terry R. Mullins