According to Fortune’s latest in-depth research on the 100 Best Companies to Work For, “telecommuting” was listed as one of the best perks, with 84 out of the 100 companies allowing their employees to telecommute or work at home at least 20% of the time. Why is telecommuting such an important perk for the happy employees at these and other companies?
For me, the answer is a healthy work-life balance.
Being a mother of two young children, as well as a Marketing Director for a fast-growing hosted VoIP PBX company, I have two very important jobs that require a lot of time and attention. Working for a company that allows telecommuting has been a huge help in managing both of these responsibilities, especially when uncontrollable events arise like a sick child or a school closure.
Thanks to technologies like hosted VoIP, remote desktop applications, and webinar services, I’m able to work from home and access the same tools I have at work, as well as seamlessly communicate with co-workers and customers. I’m able to remote in to my computer at work, access my email, utilize my instant messenger and access any of our internal files. I can log into the Internet control panel that controls the settings of my company’s hosted VoIP PBX phone system and flip my extension to forward to the VoIP phone in my home office. Now any calls that come through ring to me at home instead of at the office, but the caller would never know.
Telecommuting has many benefits to employees, employers and the community, but for me the biggest benefit has been the flexibility in managing both my personal and professional life when the need arises.
Here are some ways telecommuting benefits me on those days:
Start the Clock Early, End It Late: Since there isn’t a school schedule to abide by, I can start my day at the office as early as I’d like and end it as late as I need. I take advantage of the time the kids are asleep – even nap time!
Spend Less Time Getting Ready: Working at home allows for more relaxed attire. The time saved here allows me to hit the home office early!
Eliminate Commute Time: The hour and a half it takes to drop the kids off at school and get into work is now spent getting some work done.
Tip! Hire a Helping Hand: On the days I have a sick child at home, I like to be close to make sure he’s ok. Hiring a helping hand for a couple hours allows me to be home for comfort and hugs but to also get my work done.
How has telecommuting benefited you? Comment below!
[...] Another way to lower the cost of adding another office is to avoid it completely by embracing the power of telecommuting. By hiring remote workers, you’re decreasing your need for additional office space. In exchange, your remote workers experience the benefits of telecommuting. [...]