Telework/Commuting Teleworking - Is it

Telework/Commuting Teleworking - Is it Productive? Although the practice is almost 40 years old, teleworking has become increasingly commonplace in recent years as more and more organizations of all types have incorporated computer-based applications into their business model and recognized that many types of workers do not necessarily need to be physically present in the workplace to accomplish their jobs.

Not surprisingly, telework is also gaining increasing acceptance among workers as well as they quickly recognize the advantages of being able to go to work without a long commute while also "dressing for success." While the advantages of telework are apparent to many observers, some critics suggest that there are some profound challenges involved in keeping employees productive and in measuring their productivity.

To gain some further insights into these issues, this paper reviews the relevant peer-reviewed and scholarly literature to determine whether telework and telecommuting activities are productive, including what measurements can be used to determine the productivity of these workers. A summary of the research and salient findings are presented in the conclusion. Review and Discussion Generally speaking, the term "telework" is used to describe computer-based distant access to company business systems (Vega, 2003).

According to Nilles (1998), who is widely regarded as "the father of telework" based on his early work at NASA during the 1970s, telework is "any form of substitution of information technologies [such as telecommunications and computers] for work-related travel; moving the work to the workers instead of moving the workers to work, " while the term "telecommuting" refers to "periodic work out of the principal office, one or more days per week either at home, a client's site, or in a telework center...[via] the partial or total substitution of telecommunications technologies...for the commute to work" (Nilles, p.

37). Therefore, while both terms refers to alternative working arrangements that are situated outside the traditional workplace, there are some significant distinctions between telework and telecommuning: "In other words, telecommuting is a form of telework, which is the more generic term" (Vega, 2003, p. 6). There is no generally accepted definition of telework or telecommuting, though, and the actual number of definitions goes far beyond the ability to present a universal collection of them.

According to Vega, telework can "be defined primarily by the location at which work takes place, and secondarily by frequency and effects on commutation, rather than by the use of telecommunication devices" (p. 7). For federal workers, the U.S. government definitions also emphasize the location of the work being performed rather than the computer-based technology that is required to perform the work: "Telework means performing work on a regular basis in a location other than the principal office, such as the employee's home or a nearby telecenter" (Vega, p. 7).

Companies of all types as well as individual workers are becoming increasingly enthusiastic about such alternative technology-enabled distributed work for a variety of reasons, including a current challenging economic climate, the perceived need to increase the length of the workday, globalization trends, and more dual-career families (Ellison, 2004). As Ellison (2004) emphasizes, though, "Individuals, especially women, are drawn to the promise of work/life balance inherent in the notion of working from home.

However, the reality of mobile work is often more complicated than either the proponents or the detractors of telework would have us believe" (p. 1). Despite the constraints involved in implementing and administering such alternative workplace arrangement, though, Joice (2007) emphasizes that, "For more than 25 years, the adoption of telework (telecommuting) has been a steady but slow-growing phenomenon" (p. 64).

Initial reluctance to embrace telework and telecommuting approaches were largely related to many managers' perception that they would be forfeiting the ability to oversee their workforce and some preferred the face-to-face exchanges that typified traditional workplace arrangements. In this regard, Joice adds that, "During this time, the consensus has been that management resistance (to change) is the primary challenge for efforts to mainstream telework and take advantage of its numerous benefits" (p. 64).

More recently, though, a number of security and cost-related issues have also emerged that go hand-in-hand with the implementation and administration of telework schemes that have added to the debate over the efficacy of this alternative workplace approach (Joice). Based on the findings of a series of U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) studies in recent years, there were some clear advantages and disadvantages to telework regimens.

In spite of some potential technology problems, including information technology (it) security, the first GSA study conducted in 2002 determined that there is no single it barrier that is sufficiently significant to prevent or impede the increasing use of telework, but identified the following security-related issues that may affect many types of organizations: One organization was incapable of protecting sensitive data because its policies were fragmented.

Another organization -- where an employee took home sensitive information that was stolen -- did not have adequate policies and procedures to keep personal data from leaving the building, and its senior staff and officials took the wrong actions. Policies and procedures do not adequately protect personal or proprietary data. Security breach situations range widely, including data loss or theft, privacy breaches, and security incidents (Joice, p. 65).

The latest GSA study conducted in 2006 provided several recommendations for organizations of all types for implementation of telework schemes: Seek a clear understanding and articulation of the financial and nonfinancial benefits of telework, telework technology, and integration of telework with other strategic initiatives. Establish an effective business case for expanding telework programs. Adjust policies and strategic visions to incorporate telework and telework technology. Telework should be included in enterprise-wide it capital planning to maximize total agency benefits and return on investment.

Implement telework-friendly policies and create a program management office (PMO) dedicated to the telework program. The PMO will work to ensure maximum value and benefit to the telework program and the organization. Identify telework value factors and use cost analysis methods and resources for effective incorporation of telework in fiscal planning (Joice, p. 65).

While these recommendations provide a sound basis for implementing and administering a telework program in organizations of all types, there are some fundamental issues that have emerged concerning the impact of telework include its effects on career trajectory, the difficulty of measuring productivity and monitoring performance, perceived inequities in selection processes, and lack of training at all levels (Vega).

While many managers may prefer face-to-face exchanges in the workplace, the trend is clear and it is apparent that more and more companies will likely adopt telework schemes of some sort in the coming years. What remains then is the need to identify appropriate ways to monitor performance and productivity for these teleworkers, and to provide them with the management support they need to be successful while working outside the traditional workplace.

In this regard, Vega emphasizes that, "One of the most successful tactics undertaken by private industry has been to recognize that workers out of the main location need more, not less, support, and they have reallocated their resources accordingly. Done skillfully, this one action can have greater impact than many of the more obvious, visible managerial support interventions and certainly has more universally positive impact than do mandates" (p. 175).

Based on the foregoing, then, it is clear that telework can be effective, perhaps far more so, than traditional workplace arrangements provided that the identified obstacles and constraints to its adoption are taken into account and steps taken to address these before they are allowed to diminish the advantages that can accrue to telework approaches. Conclusion The research showed that although there is no universally accepted definition for telework, by and large the term refers to work that takes place outside of the.