Sullivan (2004) defines telework as “Work that is carried out at a distance from the core organization through the medium of ICTs” Discuss telework and the impact it is having on contemporary work practices.

Home-based telework is one of the flexible working options available today and is
unique in its ability to physically and emotionally blur the boundaries between work and
home. In this paper I will discuss about what does telework do and the advantages it
bring to both the corporate and individual workers. I will also discuss on some of the
negative issues that might be faced by telecommuters. I will conclude that telework is
an optional tool that will bring competitive advantages to the corporate and provide a
more flexible working method for employees if it is being managed properly.

Telework by large as explained by Sullivan (2004) means “Work that is carried out at a
distant from the core organization thorough the medium of ICTs”. Telework can be
carried out either from the comfort of one’s home or from a designated location away
from the main office location by the corporate. Another form of teleworking can be seen
as mobile teleworking. That means performing duties outside of office compound on
the go. Besides work being carried out at other location other than the corporate
offices, telework can also be scheduled for telecommuters to be working on part-time
basis, reporting only to work place from several days per week and other time be
working else where.

In this session, we look at the hypothesized benefits of individual and company in
teleworking. The following benefits are viewed from the angle of the individual
employee. These are perceived benefits to individual and subjected for debate.

With the help of telephony network, internet and mobile computer (laptops), individual
are able to get connected to office network and perform their duties from home. It
opens up job opportunity for those individual who needs to perform household duties
as primary concern.

Individual given the option to work from home need not report back to office that often.
They will then be able to perform household chores and spend time with their family
members while performing their office duties at home.

While working from home, individual can manage and balance their own time for office work and family affairs. They have the flexibility and free play as long as they are able to deliver the expected office tasks on schedule. Telework assignments are normally task and result orientated and therefore as long the job can be completed in time, how and when to do it will be up to individual’s plan.

As telecommuters are performing their duties from home and will be out of “Radar”
sight and control from the management. This extra personal space and freedom are
given to individual. However these individual are supposed to be trusted by
management to exercise more self control, self motivation and discipline to perform the
expected duties. Telecommuters tends to be more independence and pro-active in
nature.

Having employees working from home, there will be fewer requirements to have big
office space to house employees. Office space rental and utility bills, transport
allowance and other personnel related benefits can be reduced. As fewer employees
need to travel to work, fewer cars used on road can indirectly cause the environment to
be cleaner as well.

Having employee working without the restriction of location while still able to get
connected to office network, this give the company the added advantage over
competitors as they will have more workers being deployed at customers or supplier
work place. This gives them the personal touch and brings the relationship closer. With
the mobility ability and information can be easily retrieved at anywhere and anytime by
employee, response time can be reduced whenever needed.

In this session, we look at the hypothesized cost of individual and company in
teleworking. The following costs are viewed from the angle of the individual employee.
These are perceived cost to individual and subjected for debate.

As telecommuters are out of management’s sight, it created the detachment from the
corporate and make them loose the sense of belonging to company. It will also create
the perceived disadvantage of being out of flavor when comes to being considered for
promotion by management as their performance and contribution are not as obvious as
those traditionally working in office.

As telecommuters are working individually and will be connected to office network and
report back to management via ICTs. There are clear lack of personal touch and face-
to-face interaction with fellow colleagues. They might developed self-centered
psychological behaviors and get isolated from their social life.

The time saved in traveling and meal breaks, can be expected to be spend on
performing the duties assigned to individual. Instead of the abilities to spend more time
with family, the individual may be assigned with more tasks to perform and might end
up spending more personal time to perform the official duties.

The telecommuters are supposed to be out of sight and have more private space and
time to work from home. In order for management to have better control, they may
implement some control measures like having them to be connected to instance
messaging facilities, response to email communication or get connected to electronic
portal and bulletins more often. In extreme measures, the management might enforce
the telecommuters to install webcam for surveillance as well as doing more ac-hoc spot
check visits to the employee’s home.

When there’s a need for overhead reduction by company, the first to be eliminated from
the organization will be those temporary staff, contract staff and those ‘out-of-sight’ staff
like telecommuters. They are not often seen by the management and therefore less
remembered or recognized by management. They will be more or less be among the
first to be considered for off loading.

Working from home will not have the luxuries of having IT and technological support at an instant. While working in office area, whenever you’re faced with any technological problems with your equipments or applications, the IT department and helpdesk is just a walk away and help can be seek easily as compared to those working from home.

Having employees working from different physical location and possibilities of being in
different geographical location and time zones. The managers will have a hard time
trying to control and monitor the work progress of their subordinates.

Working off site (home or designated site offices) will need to be more technologically
supported. As the equipment (PDAs, laptops, tablet PCs) used need to mobile and
connectivity need to be stable, fast and secured. Investment in this area by company
can be huge. VPN tunnel, GPRS, secured PPTP tunnel can be the connectivity
technology to be employed. Secured RSA token, MOVEit DMZ, and firefox (firewall)
can be the security measures needed.

As individual will be working independently out of sight from management, individual
worker will need to process the ability to self-support in terms of technology, self-
motivated and pro-active in nature. This could mean higher cost in employment to get
high caliber employees that have the above mentioned abilities and characteristic.