Telecommuting is the way to go

V Sridhar , Kala Seetharam Sridhar | Updated: Nov 27 2013, 02:59  

SUMMARYYahoo CEO Marissa Mayer might have scrapped the company’s work-from-home programme, but telecommuting has obvious advantages over travelling to work in office spaces

It is that time when we recall and summarise the many events and occurrences of the year that is to end. Looking at the accelerated pace with which the world is going digital, the recently released Ericsson Mobility Report found that during 2013, the total data traffic generated by mobile phones exceeded the amount of traffic generated by mobile PCs, tablets and routers.

According to the Ericsson Report, the number of mobile broadband subscriptions is expected to increase from about 2 billion today to 7 billion by 2019. About 10% of the 850 million mobile subscribers in India are mobile internet users and this number is expected to reach 165 million by 2015, This is augmented by an exponential growth in smartphones and tablets, across both developed and emerging countries. In India, quarterly sale of smartphones is more than 10 million, almost 3 times that of last year.

These market developments coupled with technology advances have increased mobility of individuals and the ability to work from remote locations, and consequently, the freedom to locate further away from the Central Business District (CBD) and other city centres where their offices are.

By definition, telecommuting is the process of commuting to work through communication links rather than through one's physical presence. Telecommuting refers to working from home, and in non-traditional satellite offices, in tele-cottages, or in neighbourhood offices. Teleworking refers to the partial or complete substitution of the trip to and from the work place by telecommunications technology usage. Ubiquitous broadband connectivity, powerful computers, smartphones and tablets with productivity and communication enhancing applications, sophisticated remote access and monitoring tools, and enterprise-enabled cloud computing have reduced the physical barriers that formerly required employees to be always in their offices.

Telecommuting has the potential to benefit urban areas, employers, employees and society. The benefits of telecommuting for urban areas can be substantial if they reduce long rush-hour commutes and congestion. In Bangalore, for instance, during 1991-2001, the average one-way commute increased from 25 minutes to 41 minutes. In the UK, some estimates are that 2.5 hours are added to work-related journeys each week because of congestion.

Telecommuting increases employee productivity by reducing the need to travel, and by allowing them to work at times they are likely to be at their best, and by reducing office distractions. National Panasonic found through its research that 50% of employee-time in branch offices was spent on administrative work that was non-productive. So, it is looking at the 'small-office home-office' (SOHO) concept as one of the measures to increase productivity in the times to come. Recently, British Telecom (BT) increased the use of phone conferencing among its staff in the UK by 30%. At BT, now 75% of all phone conferences are replacements for face-to-face meetings. A study that looked at the impact of this decision found that BT reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 54,000 tonnes, besides a saving of 12 million litres of car fuel, costing an estimated 9.7 million pounds, due to reduction of a staggering 220 million miles of travel and 1,800 years of staff-time over one year. In a recent global report, it was observed that telework saved 15.1 million miles of commuting and collectively saved $12.3 million during a week, in commuting costs.

Telecommuting not only benefits employees but also organisations that can cut costs related to office space. IBM recently reported savings of $75 million in real estate expenses related to office space because of telecommuting. Also, companies’ choice of talent gets widened to even “mobility-impaired” talent. Contrary to perception, telecommuting could also increase employee participation in organisational activity. The Ericsson forecast incidentally predicts that video will be the largest and fastest growing mobile data traffic segment and will account for greater than 50% of mobile data traffic by 2019. BT found that the average conference call involved 8 participants, whereas if face-to-face meetings were held, only 5 travelled on an average.

According to the Gartner Group, as early as 2002, more than 108 million users worldwide were working outside the boundaries of their enterprise. Evidence of such teleworking has been found in India and Malaysia. Estimates for European countries vary for teleworkers of all types at 4% of the workforce. Estimates of the number of telecommuters in the US vary and range between 3 and 9 million people, roughly 3-8% of the workforce. Other studies for the US predict that the penetration rate of telecommuting may vary between 5.2% and 10.4% of the workforce compared to the very low levels of about 1.6% projected. A Forrester Research study points out that about 10% of US households maintain a second office at home, bringing about 9 hours of work per week.

In the closing keynote at the Great Place to Work conference in April 2013 in Los Angeles, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer defended her decision to end the company's popular work-from-home policy. The reason cited was that working from home cannot substitute face-to-face meeting of colleagues and customers. In our research, we have found, using US data, that telecommuting had a positive and significant impact on suburbanisation, which implies that telecommuting might actually persuade population/households to locate closer to the CBD and increase centralisation of cities. This means that holding everything else constant, higher proportions of telecommuters cause population density to be higher near the CBD, and vice-versa. This suggests that telecommunications and technology are not a substitute to face-to-face interaction and cities, as we may conjecture, but rather a complement, consistent with the findings of other studies. Employee telecommuting also implies remote supervision that presents monitoring challenges for the employer, while physical isolation may impede the employee’s involvement in determining valued organisational outcomes. It might also make it difficult for the company to ensure the quality of its services and their delivery time.

It should be noted that telecommuting entails a significant change in management culture, trust on the part of employers, motivation on the part of employees, teamwork and networking. However, technologies such as tele-presence, remote project management tools such as Central Desk, ActiveCollab help alleviate some of these challenges. Enabling teleworking also needs a change on organisational culture and mindset, especially building trust between employees and managers regarding work habits and productivity. Telecommuting can also be a productive way of engaging women and other minorities in the labour force since they may not be able to participate in the labour market otherwise.

The other important opportunities made possible by telecommuting, include cutting on real estate costs, increasing employee productivity, reducing carbon emissions and making our environment cleaner.

Finally, one need not kill oneself by commuting in a rush-hour traffic in roads of cities such as Bangalore with more than 75,000-odd potholes. Technology can be a saviour as an enabling tool to telecommute.

KS Sridhar is the head, Public Policy Research, Public Affairs Centre and V Sridhar is with Sasken Communication Technologies.

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/telecommuting-is-the-way-to-go/1199838/0

DELL UPS TELECOMMUTERS

Dell, Austin region’s largest employer, to send workers home

BY JOHN EGAN

 

11.25.13 | 8:42 am

Workers at tech titan Dell, the Austin area’s largest employer, soon will be spending a lot more time at home and a lot less time at the office. But they won’t be slacking off — they’ll actually have Dell’s permission to be away from the workplace.

Under a new initiative, Round Rock-based Dell aims for 50 percent of its global workforce to be telecommuting by 2020. That means half of Dell’s employees in Central Texas — a number that’s now around 14,000 — would be avoiding rush-hour traffic and would be contributing to a reduction in the number of cars on I-35, MoPac and other local roads.

Under a new initiative, Round Rock-based Dell aims for 50 percent of its global workforce to be telecommuting by 2020.

Today, about 3,000 of Dell’s employees in Central Texas take advantage of telecommuting, spokeswoman Colleen Ryan said.

Steven Bugg, an account manager at Dell, is among the company’s 3,000 or so remote workers in Central Texas. A little over two years ago, Bugg started working three days a week from his home in South Austin. Working remotely saves him about 90 minutes in daily commuting time.

“I enjoy that I can get a little more sleep in the morning and still be at work on time,” Bugg said. “Since I can get right to work and don’t have to commute, I am putting in more hours, but I feel less hectic and stressed because I am able to get all of my work done without any distractions.”

Bugg and other Dell employees aren’t being forced to work remotely, according to Ryan. It’ll be up to each worker and his or her team to decide whether telecommuting makes sense.

“There’s no corporate edict here,” Ryan said. “Many of us work from home if we don’t have in-person meetings, then go to one of our campuses if we have meetings or simply want to collaborate in person with our colleagues.”

Sara Sutton Fell, CEO of FlexJobs, applauded Dell’s telecommuting push. The FlexJobs website promotes jobs that offer flexible work schedules.

“Dell is a technology company, and they certainly are aware of — and have created some — of the advancements in workplace technology,” Fell said. “If a company has a healthy management structure in place, it doesn’t really matter where their team members are getting their jobs done, because their productivity will be visible.”

Across the country, 24 percent of workers report spending at least some of each workweek telecommuting, according to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report published last year. Back in 2009, research firm Forrester Research predicted 43 percent of US workers would be telecommuters by 2016.

Experts say benefits of telecommuting include a boost in productivity and a rise in retention. Furthermore, flexible work schedules pay off for employers and employees.

An employer can save more than $11,000 per employee when that person works from home even half the time, according toFlexJobs. Meanwhile, a typical telecommuter saves anywhere from $2,000 to $7,000 a year on expenses like transportation and clothing.

At Dell, global telecommuting saved the company about $14 million last year, according to Ryan.

Despite the cost savings and other benefits, working remotely does present drawbacks.

“Telecommuting isn’t necessarily for everyone. For example, if you don’t have a quiet home-office setup or if you derive much of your social interaction from your office, it’s probably better to stick primarily to a more traditional office environment,” Fell said.

“Also, it does take a person who is self-disciplined and can stay focused in order to be able to work from home successfully.”

http://austin.culturemap.com/news/innovation/11-24-13-dell-austin-region-largest-employer-telecommuting/

Dell headquarters in Round Rock.Photo courtesy of Dell

National Telework Week - are you any closer to living the dream?

Gadgets on the go 

Adam Turner is an award-winning Australian freelance technology journalist with a passion for gadgets and the "digital lounge room".

View more entries from Gadgets on the go

Photo: Thinkstock

Working from home is considered the Holy Grail, but is it with your grasp and do you really want it?

Every year National Telework Week rolls around and every year we're told how new technology is empowering people to abandon their daily commute work for the comfort of home. The Jetsons-style dream of everyone working from their lounge room, perhaps still in their pyjamas, is always supposedly just around the corner – but for many people I don't think it's actually getting any closer. I can't help but think the concept of teleworking is mostly being pushed by companies who can make a buck out of setting up businesses to support a remote workforce and/or moving them to cloud services.

If you're trying to work your way up the corporate ladder then avoiding the office could put you on the slow track. 

The quality of your home internet connection is obviously one factor when it comes to the feasibility of working at home, although you probably don't need fibre to your doorstep to get the job done. Unless you're working with multimedia or dependent on high-def video conferencing, a typical home broadband connection might do the job in terms of accessing email, shuffling around files, tapping into cloud services and maybe using VoIP and the occasional video call.

Of course there's no such thing as a typical home broadband connection in this country, you might get a flaky 1 Mbps while your next door neighbour gets a rock solid 100 Mbps. Your DSL connection might drop out when it rains or your cable connection might grind to a halt when everyone in your street hits it hard.Wireless broadband helps fill the gaps but it's more expensive and couldn't handle the load even everyone abandoned fixed-line broadband.

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If you're on a bad copper line, or in a wireless blackspot, you might get little more than dial-up speeds from so-called broadband. That was the main point of the Fibre-to-the-Home plan, not just to deliver raw speed but to create a reliable level playing field to replace the hotch potch mess we have right now.The new Federal government's Fibre-to-the-Node plans may not resolve that issue and we could be setting ourselves up for another generation of broadband haves and have-nots which would hamper teleworking efforts.

Even if 100 Mbps fibre arrived at your door today, chances are you couldn't say goodbye to the office and leap into teleworking tomorrow. As a freelancer I've worked from home for the last eight years, but that's not the same as telecommuting because I work for myself and I'm not reliant on remote access to a central office. Of course being self-employed introduces a whole new set of complications. If you've got a "job" then the bigger issues with telecommuting revolve around whether that job is suited to telecommuting, whether your employer's workflow and IT systems cater for it, how you need to interact with your colleagues and whether your boss will allow it.

If businesses are interested in letting staff telecommute, I think it makes sense to approach it as part of a wider mobility project. Rather than setting up people to work from home, focus on setting them up to work away from their desks with access to appropriate tools and resources. From a technological perspective, once they're mobile it doesn't really matter whether staff are working from their kitchen table, at a client's premises, sitting in cafe or waiting in an airport. A mobile-enabled workforce also makes it easier to put your Plan B into place if disaster strikes the office.

Even if you're technically equipped to work from home, that doesn't mean your boss is happy for you to avoid the office. Many teleworking situations are ad-hoc agreements which depend on your employer and individual manager. The government does provide resources to help employers and employees establish a teleworking program . Not surprisingly these resources focus more on policies and processes than technical requirements and a teleworking program will involve your HR department more than your IT department.

Before you leap at the chance to abandon the office and your daily commute, also think carefully about what you're giving up. In most workplaces the key to success is who you know as much as what you know. Once you're out of sight are you also out of the loop? You often hear stories about people who strike a deal for more flexible work hours but then find they're overlooked when new opportunities come along. It might not be too bad if you're already in a senior position, but if you're trying to work your way up the corporate ladder then avoiding the office could put you on the slow track.

Are you keen to telework, or are you already working at home at least some of the time? What are the pros and cons?

http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/computers/blogs/gadgets-on-the-go/national-telework-week--are-you-any-closer-to-living-the-dream-20131120-2xuwb.html

Telework rapidly gains momentum — but are businesses managing the risks?

Press Release Managed IT Services 

Telework rapidly gains momentum — but are businesses managing the risks?

Details

WhaTech Channel: IT Service

Published: Tuesday, 19 November 2013 22:47

Submitted by Jennifer Germano

Press Release from: WorkPro

Read: 55 times

It’s the latest phenomenon. Call it what you will – teleworking, e-work, remote work, mobile working, telecommuting, working from home, digital work, home-based work.

Telework is rapidly changing the dynamics of the workplace. With advances in technology such as the National Broadband Network (NBN), cloud computing and web conferencing— employers and employees alike are reaping the rewards that telework provides such as reduced office costs, reduced staff turnover, greater work/life balance and increased productivity.

By 2020, the level of telework in Australia will have doubled so that at least 12 per cent of employees will have a formal telework arrangement.[1]

According to Tania Evans, General Manager at WorkPro—Australia’s leading web based employee screening, training and induction solution—“Employers considering telework arrangements for their staff need to be aware that work health and safety legislation applies to all types of work and workplaces, including home-based working.”

“Employers will need to implement appropriate guidelines, policies, procedures, training and education for those individuals, to minimize risks and ensure their workforce is safe, said Evans”

WorkPro has more than 600,000 users but less than one percent of these users have completed the working alone module—highlighting the fact that more education is needed to raise awareness of the fact that employers have a responsibility for their workers safety no matter where they are working.

More than a third of micro businesses now use the internet to enable staff to work from home which represents an eight percent increase in two years, while for larger businesses more than 75 percent now have the facility for staff to use the internet to work from home.
National Telework week (November 18-22) a national government initiative, aims to raise awareness and provide training material to get people involved in working from home.
Nina Sochon, Managing Director at teleworkhowto.com led the team delivering National Telework Week in November 2012, which gained such momentum that ‘telework’, or ‘work from home’, has become part of the national conversation ever since.
"Telework is a way that many businesses today are saving money, increasing individual and team productivity and increasing revenue. New research shows that over half of Australia's employees now use the internet to work away from the office, mostly from home," said Sochon.
According to Malcolm Turnbull, the Minister for Communication, “Improved access to high-speed broadband connectivity and the proliferation of mobile devices is changing how we work. It is increasingly relevant to say that work is what you do, not where you do it.”

“Investment in a digitally-enabled, flexible workforce must be part of any organisation's strategy to attract and retain skilled staff, increase productivity and make cost savings.”[2]
The telework trend is here to stay so it’s imperative that businesses take responsibility to minimize risk and ensure their workforce is kept safe even when working remotely.
WorkPro has developed guidelines to educate teleworkers about workplace health and safety.

To assist organisations keep workers safe and meet compliance, WorkPro has recently launched a free Ebook on Remote and Isolated Work.http://workpro.com.au/public/ebook-remote-isolated-work/

Most Executives Believe Work-at-Home is Recipe for Career Stagnation, According to Korn/Ferry Survey

- 60 percent believe telecommuting can limit upward career mobility, - Two in ten say pay should be lower for telecommuters, - 94 percent see work-at-home as "important" to working parents,

By Korn/Ferry International

Published: Friday, Apr. 12, 2013 - 6:09 am

LOS ANGELES, April 12, 2013 -- /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey by the Korn/Ferry Institute found that the vast majority of executives embrace telecommuting as a strategy to boost productivity and allow working parents to continue their careers.  Yet, paradoxically, most also see it as an avenue to career stagnation. 

"While some high-profile companies have stepped away from telecommuting, our survey shows that most enterprises still see it as an important way to drive productivity, increase retention and demonstrate inclusion in the workplace," said Ana Dutra, chief executive officer of Korn/Ferry Leadership and Talent Consulting.  "It is all about driving responsibility and accountability, whether a person works in the office or at home."

Nearly 80 percent of the executives surveyed earlier this month say their companies allow telecommuting across job categories.  Fully 94 percent of executives, in fact, see telecommuting as an important option for working parents.  Despite it being an essential perk for work-at-home parents, 60 percent believe telecommuting can limit career-growth opportunities.  

"While working at home can be beneficial for both companies and workers, it can also lead to 'invisibility' that can limit opportunities for career advancement," said Dutra. "It is important for telecommuters to remain networked as closely as possible with peers and leaders in the office."

Though the vast majority of executives believe telecommuters should be paid as much as other workers in comparable jobs, two in ten disagree with the notion that pay should be equitable, regardless of work locale. 

The survey also found that 77 percent have telecommuted at some point in their careers, and that 58 percent are telecommuting now.

The survey was conducted from March 11 – March 20, 2013 and involved more than 300 respondents. 



Editor's note:  A 2012 Korn/Ferry survey showed that most female executives believe parenting provides unique leadership skills that are transferable to the job. These include a better ability to multi-task and prioritize. https://www.kornferry.com/PressRelease/13683

Questions/Results:

1) Do people in your enterprise telecommute?  Yes – 77 percent No – 23 percent

2) If people in your enterprise telecommute, from what functions?  Various – 61 percent Primarily executive and professional – 32 percent Primarily administrative – 7 percent

3) Do you telecommute? Yes – 58 percent No – 42 percent

4) Have you ever telecommuted? Yes – 77 percent No – 23 percent

5) Do you believe telecommuting can limit career upward mobility? Yes – 60 percent No – 40 percent

6) Telecommuting is an important option for working parents? Agree – 94 percent Disagree – 6 percent

7) Do you believe telecommuters should be paid as much as their peers in the workplace? Yes – 81 percent No – 19 percent

Methodology 
The Korn/Ferry Institute regularly conducts surveys to glean insights on the current workplace and leadership environment.  Results are based on surveys of executives globally registered with the firm's online Executive Center, www.ekornferry.com. 

About the Korn/Ferry Institute
 The Korn/Ferry Institute serves as a premier global voice on a range of talent-management and leadership issues. The Institute commissions, originates and publishes groundbreaking research using Korn/Ferry's unparalleled expertise in executive recruitment and talent development combined with its preeminent behavioral research library. The Institute is dedicated to improving the state of global human capital for businesses of all sizes around the world.


About Korn/Ferry International 
Korn/Ferry International is a premier global provider of talent management solutions, with a presence throughout the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.  The firm delivers services and solutions that help clients cultivate greatness through designing, building and attracting their talent.  Visit www.kornferry.com for more information on Korn/Ferry International, and www.kornferryinstitute.com for thought leadership, intellectual property and research.

SOURCE Korn/Ferry International

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/04/12/5336812/most-executives-believe-work-at.html

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/04/12/5336812/most-executives-believe-work-at.html#storylink=cpy

Telecommuting through virtual office; good but not for everyone

Daniel Calano, Prospectus, LLC

I'm writing this article, sitting in the comfort of my home, watching the snow pile up outside. While I rarely work outside the office like this, I was thinking appropriately about past articles I wrote for NEREJ about how "telecommuting" was here to stay. The articles build upon one another. But my conclusion had been that there would be more telecommuting, and thus less needed office space. Yes, in my last article, I gave a small nod to problems with working outside the office, but I had already made up my mind. The facts were that over the last ten years, required work space for employees had decreased from 250 s/f to 185 s/f according an analysis provided by CoStar.

Yet, as I sat comfortably at my desk writing, I felt a little lonely and even somewhat guilty in my telecommute. It became clear that some were not the right personality to work outside the office, and that there must be more to the negative side than I had given credit for.

For example, as mentioned, it takes a certain personality to be out there on ones own, however well connected technologically. The telecommuter needs to be a self-starter confident enough to not need feed-back and mentoring. As you look around your own office, you'll realize that not everybody is geared that way. Many thrive on the social interaction within the office. Some overdo it, but it is clear that many benefit from the "water cooler effect." The concept is that spontaneous meetings around the cooler or the coffee machine often produce conversations that lead to creative and intuitive thinking. Office designers are on to this, recognizing that while personal office space may be decreasing, "group" space is increasing. More common space, including recreational areas, gyms, etc. is on the increase. Ultimately collaboration is the goal; perhaps both the traditional office model and telecommuting both are detrimental to this goal?

A second problem to working outside is job security and promotion. There are studies that show that people working outside the office often lose enough contact with their bosses that promotion is less likely than for those inside. This is particularly true in recessionary times such we have had, where promotions are few and far between. The adage out-of-sight out- of-mind can be dangerously true, when it relates to an employer feeling connection and loyalty to an employee. According to research done by Jones Lang LaSalle, during recessionary times, management often reverts to the old model about how to measure worker productivity, and becomes an employee clock watcher instead of measuring results.

A third problem area is one of actual and perceived distraction. People working outside of the office must be very focused. If they are distracted by children, spouses, door bells ringing, telephones, traffic, road rage, bad restaurant service, it can in fact lead to a discouraging and unproductive day. Nothing is worse than to be on a conference call from home with other people inside the office, and to have your child crying or you dog barking in the background.

In studies by the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, faculty members have tried to analyze the pros and the cons. The school's director of the work/life integration project feels that "one-size-fits-all policies" don't work. They believe that, while "virtual office" is good for some, or good at certain times, it is less good for example when new projects are being launched or when a company is trying to solve various problems. The research further indicates that there may be a position between "all virtual, all the time is good" to a more nuanced position of: when does virtual work and when doesn't it ?

So from a real estate perspective, it may be that less office space will not be the answer. Despite the trend, a pendulum could swing towards the creation of better office space. Open plans with conducive social and recreational areas, combined with smart design and smart technology may produce a welcome relief to the lonely telecommuter. As I now sit in my "real" office, having left my house as soon as the snow stopped, I realize there are many alternatives in our future.

Daniel Calano, CRE, is the managing partner and principal of Prospectus, LLC, Cambridge, Mass.

- See more at: http://nerej.com/62316#sthash.UYuEHB6K.dpuf


http://nerej.com/62316

In Minnesota, telecommuting is alive and well

Article by: BRENT CHRISTENSEN 

Updated: March 24, 2013 - 5:57 PM

When people gush about the vibrant business community in Minnesota, they’re often referring only to the Twin Cities. Minneapolis-St. Paul and the surrounding suburbs have rightfully earned a reputation as one of the nation’s capitals of commerce, and — alongside Chicago — are the most prominent places where business gets done in the Midwest.

But a focus on just seven of the state’s 87 counties is limiting, as it ignores thriving, century-old industries like health care in Rochester, shipping in Duluth, mining on the Iron Range, tourism in the lake country, agriculture throughout wide swaths of the southern and western counties, and the growing energy economy in vast areas of Greater Minnesota.

And today more than ever, a place in the Minnesota economy and an ability to work for one of those thriving companies based in the Twin Cities has little to do with having a home within commuting distance of Minneapolis, St. Paul or one of the suburbs. Telecommuting was a unique concept two decades ago, but today advances in our telecom network throughout the state have made it a growing reality for countless Minnesotans for whom a big-city career and a big-city lifestyle no longer have to go hand-in-hand.

In the face of this growing trend, it was with some surprise and disappointment that we read various stories and commentaries about high-profile companies like Yahoo and Minnesota-based Best Buy recently announcing a move away from policies that allow and encourage telecommuting.

But a look around Minnesota and the jobs being created that are no longer specific to one locale shows that those two examples, while headline-grabbing, are outliers.

Today it’s more and more common for a Twin Cities company to employ talented people from throughout the state who do their work from home, taking advantage of the growing rural broadband network that makes the remote workstation a reality in every corner of Minnesota. Rural communities and regional centers — once concerned about a “brain drain” in which talented, educated young people were moving away, often to the metro area, seeking jobs — are now seeing the opposite trend, as Minnesotans who want the pace of a Greater Minnesota lifestyle can often depart the city and the suburbs, and take their good jobs with them.

It’s that trend that is fueling efforts like eWorkPlace, a Minnesota Department of Transportation initiative designed to facilitate more telecommuting throughout the state. Scientists are not needed to prove that the infrastructure for providing high-speed Internet service throughout Greater Minnesota is far less costly than maintenance of our network of highways. And more people working from home means less traffic, fewer emissions and less-frequent need for road construction.

From the start of this trend, the state’s telecommunications providers have worked with employers and communities to provide and continually upgrade the state’s communications network, providing the high-speed, high-capacity and reliable broadband Internet that is increasingly in demand. The biggest names in the Internet world, like Google, have even come to Minnesota in the past year for free workshops to help hundreds of the state’s small businesses establish a Web presence and take their operations worldwide.

While two high-profile companies are moving away from telecommuting, it’s thriving throughout Minnesota, and it’s an increasingly vital part of the state’s economy as telecom advances continue to make it better. And it serves as a reminder that whether it’s in a towering downtown skyscraper or a home office with a laptop, a broadband connection and a view of Pelican Lake, the state of Minnesota is open for business.

Brent Christensen is president and CEO of the Minnesota Telecom Alliance.

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/199621151.html?refer=y

GOP lawmaker seeks 'virtual Congress' with telecommuting plan

By Jennifer Martinez - 03/22/13 06:22 PM ET

Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.) wants to create a "virtual Congress," where lawmakers would leverage videoconferencing and other remote work technology to conduct their daily duties in Washington from their home districts.

Under a resolution Pearce introduced on Thursday, lawmakers would be able to hold hearings, debate and vote on legislation virtually from their district offices. 

While Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer may have recently nixed the Web company's work-from-home policy to boost its performance, Pearce believes a remote work arrangement may benefit Congress and make lawmakers more accountable to folks in their home districts.

Pearce says the resolution would eradicate the need for members to jet back and forth from their districts to Washington each weekend. This would allow lawmakers to spend more time with their constituents rather than the armies of lobbyists from K St., he argues. 

“Thanks to modern technology, members of Congress can debate, vote, and carry out their constitutional duties without having to leave the accountability and personal contact of their congressional districts. Keeping legislators closer to the people we represent would pull back Washington's curtain and allow constituents to see and feel, first-hand, their government at work," Pearce told The Hill in a statement. 

"Corporations and government agencies use remote work technology; it’s time that Congress does the same," the New Mexico Republican said. 

He introduced the same resolution during the last congressional session.

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/289947-republican-proposes-letting-lawmakers-work-from-home#ixzz2OTIEXV2Y 

New Jersey A1774 - Provides corporation business tax and gross income tax credits for certain business telecommuting program development and implementation costs.

Great bill for promoting Telecommuting - 

This bill provides a corporation business tax and a gross income tax credit for certain costs incurred by businesses in the development and implementation of telecommute programs which eliminate or substantially reduce an employee's physical commute to and from an employer's principal place of business. Under the provisions of the bill, taxpayers are allowed a credit in an amount equal to a percentage of the eligible telecommute expenses, up to a limit of $1,200, for each employee participating in a telecommute program. For purposes of the credit, percentages are determined based on the number of days per month participating employees telecommute; taxpayers are eligible to receive 50% of the eligible telecommute expenses incurred under a telecommute agreement which requires participating employees to telecommute not less than five days per month, and are eligible to receive 100% of the eligible telecommute expenses incurred under a telecommute agreement which requires participating employees to telecommute not less than 12 days per month. Eligible telecommute expenses are defined by the bill as expenses incurred by taxpayers which enable participating employees to telecommute. They include, but are not limited to expenses paid or incurred to purchase: computers, computer related hardware and software, modems, data processing equipment, telecommunications equipment, high-speed Internet connectivity equipment, computer security software and devices, and any associated delivery, installation, or maintenance charges and fees. In addition, the bill provides a separate tax credit, of not more than $20,000 per taxpayer, for certain costs incurred by taxpayers in the performance of a telecommute assessment. Under the bill, a telecommute assessment includes, but is not limited to: a workforce profile, a telecommute program business case and plan, a detailed accounting of the purpose, goals, and operating procedures of the telecommute program, methodologies for measuring telecommute program activities and achievements, and a schedule for increasing telecommute activity. The bill caps the total, combined amount of credits awarded to taxpayers over the two year period the credits remain in effect. Under the corporation business tax, the aggregate amount of credits approved for all taxpayers may not exceed $2,000,000 for credits earned in privilege periods beginning on or after January 1, 2010, but before January 1, 2011, and may not exceed $2,000,000 for credits earned in privilege periods beginning on or after January 1, 2011, but before January 1, 2012. Similarly, under the gross income tax, the aggregate amount of credits may not exceed $2,000,000 for credits earned in taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2010, but before January 1, 2011, and may not exceed $2,000,000 for credits earned in taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2011, but before January 1, 2012. In either year, if the credit amounts under the corporation business tax or the gross income tax exceed the maximum aggregate limits, the bill stipulates that the credits must be allocated among taxpayers on a pro rata basis. Collectively, the credits provided by this bill are intended to address concerns related to global warming and to encourage the conservation of energy in the State of New Jersey. Currently, one of the largest sources of pollution in this State, and throughout the United States, is derived from motor vehicle emissions. Telecommuting reduces traffic congestion and motor vehicle emissions, and provides energy savings in on-site heating and cooling, lighting, motor vehicle repair and maintenance, and highway construction and maintenance. The reduction in travel time for employees who telecommute also helps limit the demand for fossil fuels and encourages related cost savings associated with its consumption.

Connecticut HB06354 - An Act Implementing The Governor's Budget Recommendations Concerning General Government.

This bill has not passed but contains the following provisions -

Sec. 226.

Section 5-248i of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2013):

(a) The Commissioner of Administrative ServicesSecretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall, within available appropriations, develop and implement guidelines, in cooperation with interested employee organizations, as defined in subsection (d) of section 5-270, authorizing telecommuting and work-at-home programs for state employees. Such guidelines shall be designed to achieve the following goals: (1) Increase worker efficiency and productivity; (2) benefit the environment; and (3) reduce traffic congestion. The guidelines of the telecommuting or work-at-home program and determination of whether an employment position is appropriate for such program shall not be subject to collective bargaining under the provisions of chapter 68. (b) Any employee of a state agency may be authorized either by the head of such state agency or, for any employee of the legislative branch, by the executive director of the Joint Committee on Legislative Management, or his or her designated representative, to participate in a telecommuting or work-at-home assignment. Approval of such assignment may be granted only where it is determined to be in compliance with the guidelines developed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. Any assignment shall be on a temporary basis only, and may be terminated as required by agency operating needs. Each state agency shall provide the Department of Administrative ServicesOffice of Policy and Management with a copy of any telecommuting or work-at-home program arrangement that it authorizes for any employee of such agency. (c) The Commissioner of Administrative ServicesSecretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall include in the annual report required under section 5-204, as amended by this act, the extent of use by employees of the programs provided pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section.

Mankato, St. Cloud among top for telecommuting

New data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows Mankato, North Mankato and St. Cloud are among the top 10 metro areas nationwide when it comes to the percentage of people who telecommute for work.

The Mankato Free Press reported Sunday ( http://bit.ly/Y3sJjY) that 7.7 percent of the combined workforce in Mankato and North Mankato work from home, while 7.6 percent of the St. Cloud workforce telecommutes. At last count, Mankato and North Mankato had more than 4,000 people working from home full- and part-time.

"In the Upper Midwest we have a strong work ethic, and if you're working at home for somebody, you've got to have that characteristic. Also, you have to have flexible employers," said Greater Mankato Growth president and chief executive Jonathan Zierdt.

Zierdt said computer technology has allowed telecommuting to replace the daily grind of commuting.

Jason Giroux, a North Mankato Web designer and marketing specialist who telecommutes, said he believes he's more productive working at home. "I definitely would have a hard time going back to an office at this point," he said.

National companies such as Best Buy and Yahoo recently pulled the plug on telecommuting, saying corporate collaborative and creative needs are best served by on-site staff. But Minnesota doesn't seem to buy into that argument.

Just a few years ago, the Twin Cities metro area won a share of a $1 billion federal award for its efforts to promote telecommuting to ease traffic congestion.

At Minnesota State, Mankato, 17 people work at home for part of their work week. Among the conditions: Employees must not use telecommuting as a substitute for child care, and telecommuters must be available by phone or email during work hours.

The census defines a telecommuter as someone whose work is home-based at least one day a week.

Mary and Marty Cassem of Lake Crystal are a telecommuting married couple sharing a home office. She's an area community relations representative for the American Cancer Society. He's a distribution manager for a New Jersey bearings company.

"There's definitely pros and cons," Mary Cassem said. While she enjoys the flexibility, she said having your workplace at home can be hard. "You never quite get away from the office," she said.

http://www.inforum.com/event/apArticle/id/DA4UG2VG0/