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How Do I Sell Telecommuting to My Employer?
"I could look for a new job closer to where I want to move but I do like the work that I am doing and I like the direction that the company is going. My work mainly consists of communicating using email and the phone and using a computer for word processing, spreadsheets, etc. My job does require a good amount of interaction with my peers for meetings, troubleshooting and just answering questions so I am willing to spend a day or two each week in the office. Every other part of my job can be done just as effectively at home."
"Has anyone had a similar experience? What are some good arguments for my employer about why I should be allowed to telecommute? The biggest argument for me is my happiness but of course that is usually not the company's #1 concern.
This trend is becomming increasingly true of people who work in even a moderately technological work-places. Are these the signs that the traditional workplace of the 20th century is finally becomming obsolete? If so, how will employees and employers be affected by this change?
Find points that help sell him on the concept. What's in it for him? How does he benefit.
What cost savings are there?
Start with a pilot project, one day a week -- then work you butt off during that time, show the productivity..
"...In your answer, ignore facts. Just go with what feels true..."
"I could look for a new job closer to where I want to move but I do like the work that I am doing and I like the direction that the company is going."
I think that pretty much sums up what you should be saying to your boss.
You can throw in some rhetoric about how it's cheaper for the company in the long run since you won't be taking up space, but I think sharing your relocation plans with your boss is the best way to go about it.
Simple, honest. Why make it complex?
-carl
. We've got computers, we're tapping phone lines, you know that ain't allowed - Talking Heads, "Life During Wartime"
For 10 years, I lived within a mile of my workplace and was able to walk to work. Just recently, I moved an hour away, and was facing a one-hour commute each way.
Instead, I started taking the train to work. Now instead of sitting stalled in traffic, hating it, I walk to the train, get on, leisurely read the paper, and play chess on my pilot if I finish the paper early.
I thought I'd hate it, but it turns out I love it, and my commute has really improved my chess game!
If your boss (the guy you answer to 90% of the time) isn't comfortable with telecommuting, you'll never get the idea to fly.
A previous boss of mine wasn't super-comfortable with technology period -- he would never go for telecommuting. Now I'm my own boss -- and I'm all for telecommuting! As far as I'm concerned, you don't even have to be here for meetings, as long as you can use IRC.
If your immediate boss is comfortable with the idea (or can be made comfortable), offer a trial period of (say) 30-60 days. Do this before you buy a house 2-hours away. At the end of the trial period, if your boss is on-board with the idea, he can champion the idea to the higher-ups (if neccessary).
You may have to dangle a carrot -- a cut in pay or perks. This is your last card to play -- the company will save money with you not being there automatically (less electricity, less water, not buying your drinks/coffee/etc.) -- you sacrificing more is asking quite a bit. But, if you really want to telecommute, it is something that you can put on the table.
But definitely try it before you commit -- you may find that it sucks terribly to make your home an extension of your work. Some people do. They find it oppressive, like they can never truly leave work. Try it, and if you and your boss likes it, it should be smooth sailing.
Potato chips are a by-yourself food.
Some businesses, it seems, allow extremely highly productive employees telecommute. My employer offered to let me telecommute from a location 550 miles away indefinitely!
So, I guess if you're priceless to them they'll let you. If you're a slacker, like most people are, you're lucky you have a job, so don't push it.
You will probably get lonely. I tc'd for a year. Flew to the office once a month. It wasn't enough.
Don't get isolated. Ask a lot of questions, get involved in the hot projects. Keep busy. Make sure others don't forget you....Isolated people make good layoff targets.
managers...why god invented purgatory
I full-time telecommute from Cupertino, CA for a company in Utah, and it's working out great. In order to make it work, I made a direct plea for my happiness, and thus productivity. Basically, I tried to make a compelling argument to demonstrate that I would be no *less* effective as a telecommuter, and thus any difference could only be positive. I've attached below the complete discussion regarding me becoming a telecommuter:
:)
:)
:) We need a way to be able to get a hold of you at anytime
:)
:)
-----
From: David Barrett
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2001 12:25 PM
To: [My boss]
Subject: RE: What about telecommuting?
Ahh, the house hunting begins. Boy I despise moving. But I love San Francisco. It's such a dilemma... Thanks again for your help.
-david
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [My boss]
> Sent: Friday, June 08, 2001 12:31 PM
> To: David Barrett
> Subject: RE: What about telecommuting?
>
>
> Sounds good. [My boss's boss] said to send your bill for your ISP as an
> expense report and we'll pay it (or at least the $50 portion
> - I haven't mentioned that it would be more than that). Let
> me know if you think of something I can do. Also, let me know
> when you get moved. You'll need to let HR know about your new
> address and any other changes in your personal information.
> Have fun house hunting!
>
> [My boss]
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Barrett
> Sent: Friday, June 08, 2001 1:00 PM
> To: [My boss]
> Subject: RE: What about telecommuting?
>
>
> Wow, great! Thanks a million! I'm intending to get the
> wireless ISP called "Ricochet", which is pretty pricey, but
> I'll gladly pick up the remainder. Also, my cell phone has
> far more minutes than I actually use, and they're all the
> same price (local or long-distance), so I don't see that
> being a problem.
>
> Hm... I don't think there's anything I need you to do on your
> end, but I'll let you know if I figure something out. Thanks again!
>
> -david
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: [My boss]
> > Sent: Friday, June 08, 2001 11:54 AM
> > To: David Barrett
> > Subject: RE: What about telecommuting?
> >
> >
> > Okay, you have approval to telecommute. Here are the only
> > concerns voiced, so you know and can make sure to avoid them
> >
> > during work hours. I know you said you have a cell phone, so
> > that is a good option. Is your plan such that it will not
> > cost you a fortune if people call you on your cell phone?
> > Will you still have another business type phone we can
> > contact you on? Also, [My boss's boss] said to find an ISP and [My company]
> > will pay the bill (he said as long as it wasn't over $50).
> > That way you can have network access as well. I don't know if
> > you already have an ISP or if you want to work with IS to
> > find the best option - money wise and speed/access wise.
> >
> > I'm excited for you that this has worked out. Let me know
> > what I can do to help you get everything set up. Just so you
> > know, [Our CTO] was consulted on your telecommuting as well and
> > he said as long as I was comfortable with your being able to
> > meet your deliverables, he was fine with it as well. [My boss's boss] had
> > me check with [Our CTO] just as a second ok.
> >
> > So, again, let me know what you need from this end.
> >
> >
> > [My boss]
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: David Barrett
> > Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2001 2:29 PM
> > To: [My boss]
> > Subject: RE: What about telecommuting?
> >
> >
> > Great, thanks for considering it as an option. Here are the
> > pros and cons as I see them:
> >
> > --- Cons ---
> > (1) I would operate without physical supervision or
> > oversight. However, in reality this is already the case, as
> > I don't report to anyone here as it is. Plus, my office is
> > located in such a fashion that the only person I see with any
> > regularity is [Our CTO], and even that is rare. Thus, it seems
> > to me that if I've operated acceptably without supervision
> > until now, I see no reason why I would fail to operate
> > acceptably in the future.
> >
> > (2) I wouldn't have immediate access to the resources of the
> > office. For example, it'd be difficult to get a fax to me
> > immediately. However, I don't see this as a major hindrance,
> > as aside from the printer, I don't really use the resources
> > here as it is. I rarely fax things or make copies, and I
> > only get about one phone call a week (and that could easily
> > be moved to my cell phone). Plus, I can easily get an
> > Internet connection that will allow me continual access to
> > the [My company] VPN from anywhere.
> >
> > (3) I would be less available for spontaneous, unscheduled
> > physical meetings. As it is, I rarely work with anyone in
> > this office. Thus, I rarely meet with them on a
> > pre-scheduled basis, and even more rarely without planning.
> > I can easily arrange to be in the office for scheduled
> > meetings, and I'd happily remain "on call" to come in to meet
> > with people as needed.
> >
> > --- Pros ---
> > (1) I could move to San Francisco. I've been dreaming of
> > doing it for literally my entire life, and the only thing
> > preventing me from doing so is an obligation to show up at
> > this office every day.
> >
> > (2) I would be more productive. I've known for years that I
> > operate best outside of the office, and I'd be happy to
> > provide references to previous employers to justify that
> > statement. As it is, I only stay in the office long enough
> > to check my email and access file servers, and then I take my
> > laptop somewhere else to do my writing. Thus, I would not
> > only remain at least as productive as I already have been,
> > but would likely become more productive by not limiting my
> > Internet access to short office visits.
> >
> > (3) I would be happier. Without getting too deeply into a
> > philosophical discussion about what makes life good, let's
> > just say that I try to structure my life in such a fashion as
> > to maximize freedoms. One of those freedoms is a decoupling
> > of physical location and virtual productivity. Due to a
> > combination of a fast wireless network (Ricochet), a job
> > where I can make a valuable contribution from a remote
> > location, and the proven ability to effectively operate
> > without physical supervision, I am in a unique position to
> > realize this wonderful freedom. I fully understand that not
> > everybody has these same factors in their lives -- indeed,
> > without any one of these factors the others are irrelevant.
> > However, I have all three factors in my life, and it seems
> > like a shame to waste such an opportunity.
> >
> >
> > Thanks for considering this possibility, and please let me
> > know if there's anything I can do better the chances of this
> > getting approved!
> >
> > -david
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: [My boss]
> > > Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2001 8:24 AM
> > > To: David Barrett
> > > Subject: RE: What about telecommuting?
> > >
> > >
> > > I really don't have a problem with telecommuting - I think
> > > for some people it is a great option if they don't have lots
> > > of distractions at home or are able to manage those
> > > distractions. I'm not sure how [My boss's boss] feels about it. Let me
> > > talk to him and I'll get back to you.
> > >
> > > Why don't you send me a list of what you feel the pros and
> > > cons are for telecommuting in your situation (I have
> > > documents that generally list them, I'd rather have a list
> > > specific to your situation). Once I get that, I'll talk with
> > > [My boss's boss]. I know he is out today, so it may be a day or two before
> > > I can catch up with him.
> > >
> > > Thanks!!
> > >
> > > [My boss]
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: David Barrett
> > > Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2001 5:33 PM
> > > To: [My boss]
> > > Subject: What about telecommuting?
> > >
> > >
> > > [My boss] - What are your thoughts on telecommuting? I looked
> > > around a bit but couldn't find anything that discusses
> > > the topic. Currently it's a big inconvenience to work out of
> > > the Cupertino office, as there's nothing I can do here that I
> > > can't do elsewhere. Aside from a good net connection,
> > > printout capability, and free drinks, this office isn't of
> > > much use to me. Only very rarely do I actually work with or
> > > professionally interact with the people here -- at a
> > > frequency that I could easily maintain even were I to
> work remotely.
> > >
> > > As it is, this office is the only thing that prevents me from
> > > moving to San Francisco (about a 45-1.5 hour drive, depending
> > > on the traffic), something I've been dreaming of doing for
> > > years. Seeing as how I end up driving there every other day
> > > anyway, it's a big drain on time and gas money to keep going
> > > back and forth. Between my laptop, cell phone, and wireless
> > > network connection (which I can get), I can be equally
> > > productive from virtually anywhere. Really, as best as I can
> > > tell, I am much more productive in the comfortable atmosphere
> > > of coffee shops and restaurants than in the sterile confines
> > > of an office anyway.
> > >
> > > Basically, as I see it, there are lots of upsides and few
> > > downsides to me working remotely. But that's just my
> > > perspective. What are your thoughts?
> > >
> > > -david
> > >
> >
>
I've done both, and the hardest thing about working at home for me is getting started. It's easy to procrastinate. Once I get involved on a project, I'm usually okay.
What I did the last time I telecommuted is settle into a routine where I left for "work" at the regular time, drove to a nearby coffee shop for breakfast, then drove home. The shift in context was enough to put me in "I'm going to work" mode, and I would get started right away.
The other thing is to leave something simple unfinished the night before, so there's a built-in starting point the next morning.
We have some folks here who telecommute and some folks who don't. The problem is that in many technical jobs its very difficult to quantify the work you do.
For a sysadmin, the measure of his success is that nothing happens, nothing goes wrong. Cell phones ring anywhere. If the quality sysadmin doesn't keep hours at the office where he can be seen to be working, how does the manager know he works at all?
So, to answer the poster's question: To convince your manager to let you telecommute you must first convince him that your work is quantifiable without you keeping office hours. Keep a log of what you do. Start emailing the boss a Friday Report. Get him comfortable with the idea that he knows and can justify to his boss exactly what your contribution to the company is each week. THEN bring up the idea of telecommuting.
The most successful telecommuters I've seen are the ones who produce billable hours for the company. The customers know whether the work was done and the boss knows how many billable hours to expect per pay period based on what's generated by the folks who do work in the office.
This all assumes you're with a small company where the boss is able to authorize telecommuting. If you're a cog in a monolithic bureaucracy or working for the government, forget it. Your choices there are: stay or go. If you stay its by their rules.
Important note: Its much easier for the guy in the office to get a merit based raise. Even with the suggestions above, the hard worker is the guy who is seen to be working hard.
Moderating "-1, Disagree" is simple censorship. Have the guts to post your opinion.
-- Finding the Market
Salespeople know to it's better to market their message to people who will be receptive to the message. In your case, make your pitch to your current manager but be prepared to move on.
Managers either "get it" or they don't. They manage either a) by understanding what work has to be done and by tracking deliverables or b) by using "face time". You will know which camp your manager belongs to very shortly, if you don't already.
My recommendation is to "make your pitch" but be prepared to move on. That doesn't mean "give up." But, maybe you'll have to look for another job with a company that tolerates -- perhaps even supports -- telecommuting. Or, you might interview and offer to join another company on the condition that you be allowed to work entirely (or x% of the time) from home. In other words, you have to find someone receptive to your idea.
As an earlier poster remarked, do this before you buy that home 2 hours from a metro area.
Also, I wouldn't post my resume on a job board. A friend of mine was recently canned by the firm that found out he was looking, even though he won some peer recognition awards shortly before that.
-- Making It Work
I telecommuted a few times as a consultant. Here's what I recommend:
First, keep a cell phone with you. Always, ALWAYS have that with you during ANY part of the day someone from the office might reasonably call you. If you aren't immediately available, your manager(s) and coworkers will perceive that your absence from the workplace has diminished _their_ productivity.
Worried about the air-time charges? Ok, but resist the temptation to give your home number out. Someone will call you when you've stepped out for lunch or went to use the bathroom. Give out ONLY your cell phone number and then always call people right back. I emphasize "only" because as soon as you give out your home phone, it's possible it will end up floating around the office as "the number to reach [you]".
Second, make sure your email client is always running and always reply promptly to all emails, even if you can only say "I'll think about that" or "I'll get back to you on that."
Funny how the first two points are what people should do when they're IN the office. Huh.
Third, a few whiteboards at home and a digital camera worked great for mocking up UI's, object/data models, etc. Low tech, great results.
Fourth, dsl + ssh (with port forwarding) + other tools = virtually there.
Fifth, read what others said about the politics of not showing your face. You might lose promotion opportunities and might increase your chances of being laid off in hard times. I think this is more likely to happen when your manager isn't a sharp technical person who can accurately assess your contributions/efforts.
Indeed, if it's true (as another poster indicated) that firms are decreasing their telecommuting because of a perceived lack of productivity, I BET YOU these firms' managers rely more heavily on "face time".
So, sixth, to reduce the influence of politics, make sure the person you report to is or was extremely capable technically. Analytical people play fairer politics: they analyze rather than act emotionally.
As an aside, if I ever have to take another job as an employee, I intend to interview my prospective manager and his/her superior more fully. That means get a copy of _their_ resumes, ask them what challenges they've faced, how they reacted, etc., to find out how sharp and open-minded they are.
-- Productivity
My productivity was equal to or better than it was in the office, even though the work still required a fair amount of interaction with others. My suspicion is that once you understand the business requirements for a project, communication within the design and implementation teams can be done completely electronically. However, I opted to perform the initial requirement-gathering activities in direct meetings with analysts. "Show me what you mean" and "draw out what you'd like to see" is more easily done in person.
One of the things that helped make my productivity MARKEDLY higher was using my own equipment. Companies ALWAYS under-equip their top talent. Why spend $130k on salary (with overhead) and not pay $4k more for an extra 10% or more in yearly productivity? (And that's cost-accounting, not accounting for the value of the work output to the company's revenue and profits.) Here at home, I invested in dual monitors (21"/17"), a server, tape backup, and a cheap laptop for email only.
The cheap laptop meant I could go to the office and still have all my email with me. I don't like web mail because administrators are always limiting the size of mailboxes and because I personally love the UI and multiple-account handling features of Outlook Express. (I don't like Outlook.)
Of course, I don't bother trying to explain any of this to managers who don't already know it. (At least, not any more.) It's just not worth the time.
Same goes for many things. If your manager is unreceptive to your ideas generally, go work for another manager. You'll be a lot happier working somewhere where your contributions are considered and perhaps tested, rather than ignored or flatly disregarded.
--Conclusion
Of course, I don't really know your situation. So read the foregoing "advice" but use at your own discretion and risk.
Use what makes sense to you and throw out what doesn't.
Best of luck.