4 Spooky Myths About Telecommuters That Give Employers the Chills

The prospect of allowing workers to telecommute can be the bone-chilling business for many employers. Like so many creepy tales this time of year, lots of the myths holding companies back from implementing flexible work programs are just that — myths.

Don’t fall for the tricks, and get one step closer to reaping the treats of telecommuting with this guide.

Employees Who Work From Home Don’t Really Work

Actually, in many cases, telecommuters are more productive. Take the CTrip case study, explored here in the Harvard Business Review, where a sub-set of call center workers were allowed to work from home and completed 13.5% more calls per day than their in-office counterparts — adding up to effectively “an extra workday each week.”

Even when sick, telecommuters may still be more productive. Office gossip, crazy commutes, too little sleep, wardrobe concerns, are all taken away, leaving more space for productivity.  Plus, there’s the likely added psychological motivation for remote workers to perform: a University Of Illinois study suggests that remote workers feel they have to “give a little extra back” for the privilege of working from home, the study’s co-author says.

It Won’t Save Money–and May Even Cost It

Nothing could be more bone-chilling to an ambitious manager than the thought of implementing a policy that becomes a major expense — with no reward — for the company. A lot of the money-saving aspects of allowing workers to operate remotely are obvious, but at first, glance might seem inconsequential — things like office utilities, space, supplies.

But these savings, coupled with the improved productivity of many remote workers, add up. A study by Global Workplace Analytics concluded that companies save as much as $11,000 per telecommuting employee. Fewer sick days and higher turnover were additional factors in costs cut by telecommuting programs (there’s a good breakdown of how this number was reached here if you’re interested). Online surveys, like this one, also reported significant savings for companies with telecommuting–up to $695,752 annually.

Oh, and? Several surveys have found that many workers would take a pay cut for the opportunity to work from home. Basically, there’s a lot of data suggesting that overall, remote work is a smart choice financially.

Overseeing Their Activities Will Be Hard

The traditional office is simple: every day, you watch your employees clock in, take lunch, clock out, etc. You can always reach them, always find them, always have an idea of where they are if something comes up. But that visual reassurance isn’t necessarily the best way to accurately ensure employees are on the ball.

The latest employee time and attendance systems are web-based for flexibility. Using FingerCheck, employees can securely punch in from the IP addresses you approve and you can review their punches from any computer. Employees can even choose their tasks and submit messages when they punch so you always know what they’re up to. Employee time tracking solutions like FingerCheck’s also offer in-app support, which means fewer questions — and more productive time — for you or your HR staff.

It’s All or Nothing

Actually, the latest research suggests that work arrangements that blend remote and in-office work are the most effective, and also offer the opportunity to save money. Want to test it out, but not sure if you have the systems in place to do so effectively? You may be eligible for a free trial of FingerCheck’s web or mobile-based employee time tracking application.

Call 1-800-610-9501 or email info@FingerCheck.com to see if you qualify.