Telecommuting: Shaping the Future of Working Environment

Abstract

The information technology revolution has brought about numerous changes, affecting almost every aspects of life in the modern world. The relative ease of obtaining and using information has led to radical shifts in organizational structure and in an individual's work methods. These changes also have significant effects on the way of people live and work. Among the new flexible work arrangements is telecommuting. People can work from remote areas beyond traditional boundaries in time and space through electronic computing and communication devices. An organization may introduce new structure to meet the changing social lifestyles of employees.  Additionally, in an increasingly challenging economy, organizations are looking for ways to improve the bottom line. To compete effectively in global markets, they are streamlining operations, downsizing organizational structures, and reducing overhead costs and travel expenses. To meet higher customer expectations for quality and service, they are looking for ways to get their employees closer to the people they serve and to help them achieve better results with fewer resources. These changes include a rise in the number of dual-career families, number of females in the workforce and the aging population which have made it more critical for organizations to build in flexibility with regard to where and when employees want to work. Thus, organizations need to be flexible in their employment practices so as to attract and retain scarce talented and skilled staff and to tap into new labor markets like part-time, semi-retired or disabled workers. Therefore, telecommuting can represent a work alternative which allows for some flexibility in where and when people perform their work.