Posts Tagged ‘home office’
March 3rd, 2008 in Small Office Home Office No Comments
Clogged roadways, rising gas prices and climate change worries are just some of the reasons that this article advocates a renewed push toward telecommuting for government and private employers. Unfortunately, notes the author, while many states have laws or state agency policies, there is usually little teeth and even
less follow through.
Virginia is one state that is serious about cutting commuting whenever possible. Officials there are using legislation, executive orders and agency rules to boost the number of people working from home. They have set targets, established tax breaks for employers who implement telework programs and are considering budget cuts for agencies that fail to meet telework goals. (more…)
February 25th, 2008 in Small Office Home Office No Comments
The author of this article notes that clutter and chaos in the home office saps energy and concentration while increasing tension and anxiety. Companies are responding by designing office products with ergonomics, atmospherics and ease of use in mind. Some of the more interesting innovations for a stress-free home office:
- New muted paint colors that are less fatiguing on the eyes.
- Height-adjustable desks that offer a custom fit for workers.
(more…)
September 5th, 2005 in Small Office Home Office No Comments
The author of this article believes that telecommuting at least one day a week is one solution to the high cost of gasoline. A brief discussion of the benefits of lowered commuting costs and easing stress levels is followed by an admission that getting permission and support for telecommuting is no easy matter. The author cautions those interested to plan ahead. He offers a number of tips to those interested in telecommuting that will help to position them with their employers and prepare them for the privilege of working from home. Among the more interesting suggestions:
- Accumulate work tasks that require quiet concentration and take them home to work on them one or two days a week.
- Communicate with both managers and colleagues as to what specifically you’re working on, and, when you return to the office, what you’ve accomplished.
- Create personal work rules that help to establish discipline and concentration.
Source: Michael Dziak, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Sep 5, 2005
April 1st, 2003 in Small Office Home Office No Comments
About a third of IBM’s workforce is “mobile” — the company saves about $10,000 per year per employee on facilities costs alone. That’s a calculation every firm is making now before letting staff work from home, say experts quoted here. IBM, says Pamela Stanford, director of the company’s on-demand workplace initiative, has worked hard to develop an environment conducive to mobile workers. Back in 1993, when their first telecommuters started, they were pioneers. Their joke was that IBM stood for “I’m By Myself.” Now each mobile worker gets a ThinkPad, a highspeed Internet connection and a second phone line for business calls, and workers say they enjoy the autonomy and scheduling flexibility. When someone in Dallas has to call a client in Europe or Australia, they can get up at 3 a.m. and walk over to the computer rather than driving to the office. “The people who consider it a perk, and are concerned about not seeing people in the workplace,” says Stafford, “come from command and control cultures. Command and control doesn’t cut it anymore. This kind of mobility is just right for us.”
Source: Work & Family Newsbrief; April, 2003
December 23rd, 2002 in Trends No Comments
This article provides readers with an overview of some of the latest home office trends. Stylish minikitchens with refrigerators, microwaves and coffeemakers are in vogue, as is fitness furniture with matching desk, storage, treadmill and weight bench. Home office garages are also discussed, Hewlett Packard, Apple Computer and Walt Disney Company.
Source: Fairfield County Business Journal; December 23, 2002
October 1st, 2002 in Small Office Home Office No Comments
This article holds that “the real key to successful telecommuting lies in a clear understanding of both the worker’s and manager’s roles and expectations.” It advises companies to establish well-defined job descriptions and to have manager and telecommuting employee agree on exactly what is to be accomplished and when. The article declares that telecommuters themselves need to manage themselves for their managers by proactively anticipating developments and consistently and effectively communicating with the home office. The article offers ten “guidelines” for telecommuters to help enhance their relationship with their manager. Managers, for their part, are encouraged to establish commuter support groups and a company-wide orientation that positions telecommuting as a working style alternative, not a perk.
Source: American Salesman, October, 2002
September 30th, 2002 in Small Office Home Office No Comments
Nearly 50 percent of federal government jobs that can be handled from home can now be done by telecommuters and 100 percent of appropriate jobs are mandated for such options by the end of 2003. Yet only 4.2 percent of federal workers in the Washington D.C. area telework on a regular basis. Why the slow progress given the well-documented appeal and cost-savings that come from telecommuting — 20 percent greater worker productivity, 63 percent less absentee-related costs, $10,000 annual cost of maintaining an office/cubicle space? Concerns that include insurance liability, staff supervision and interaction, and federal security restrictions make it clear to this author that the commuting solution alone is not the answer. Alternatives discussed include rail transit for local commuting, the development of telecommunications broadband networks by municipalities, and a conversion by automakers of the 12-volt car battery to a 42-volt system that will enable a new array of mobile features. A short related article includes telework statistics.
Source: Gary Arlen, Washington Techway, September 30, 2002
September 2nd, 2002 in Small Office Home Office No Comments
This article discusses the advantages of teleworking, noting that most studies predict that one-third of the nation’s workforce will be part- or full-time teleworkers by 2005. Helping to spur future growth is federal legislation introduced in Congress to give tax breaks to companies offering telecommuting. Additionally, pilot programs of telecommuting incentives by the EPA are in place in Denver, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Houston and Washington, D.C. If pilot programs are successful, companies offering the telecommuting option will be eligible to receive pollution credits that could be traded, sold, donated or used for an IRS tax break. The EPA estimates that the program could reduce emissions by 2,613 tons a year for every 100,000 people who participate.
Concerns about management, legal liabilities and data security are addressed but the author believes that ultimately they will succumb to the advantages of productivity gains and real estate cost savings. The key seems to be to achieve enough participation to reduce square footage to the point that corporations incorporate telecommuting into their corporate real estate strategy. The article includes a discussion of the telecommuting programs at Mapics, Inc. and Cisco Systems.
Source: Dan Emerson, Plants, Sites and Parks; New York; September, 2002
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