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==Technology==
==Technology==


By definition "telecommuting" means replacing the common daily commute to work with the transmission of signals. These signals could be e-mails or phone messages, but most businesses will generally link employees to a remote network access, in order to allow them access to data stored on a company network. In the interest of security, a virtual private network (VPN) is usually used. A VPN allows for employees to securely access the company’s network through an insecure network such as the Internet.
By definition "telecommuting" means replacing the common daily commute to work, via personal car or public transit, with the transmission of signals. These signals could be e-mails or phone messages, but most businesses will generally link employees to a remote network access, in order to allow them access to data stored on a company network. In the interest of security, a virtual private network (VPN) is usually used. A VPN allows for employees to securely access the company’s network through an insecure network such as the Internet.


Long distance telework is further facilitated by the progressive decrease in cost of telecommunication and improvements in personal computers (such as Laptops and Wi-Fi adapters). Along with tools such as groupware, conference calling, videoconferencing, and Voice over IP (VOIP), the need to physically travel to a centralized place of work diminishes further.
Long distance telework is further facilitated by the progressive decrease in cost of telecommunication and improvements in personal computers (such as Laptops and Wi-Fi adapters). Along with tools such as groupware, conference calling, videoconferencing, and Voice over IP (VOIP), the need to physically travel to a centralized place of work diminishes further.

Revision as of 19:45, 10 February 2010

Template:425inprogress

Introduction

Telecommuting is a work arrangement in which an employee is allowed flexibility in working location and hours. Its main purpose and advantage is in reducing the need to commute to a central place of work, instead allowing an employee to work at a remote location (such as their home) while in contact with the workplace through telecommunication links, such as video conferencing.

Technology

By definition "telecommuting" means replacing the common daily commute to work, via personal car or public transit, with the transmission of signals. These signals could be e-mails or phone messages, but most businesses will generally link employees to a remote network access, in order to allow them access to data stored on a company network. In the interest of security, a virtual private network (VPN) is usually used. A VPN allows for employees to securely access the company’s network through an insecure network such as the Internet.

Long distance telework is further facilitated by the progressive decrease in cost of telecommunication and improvements in personal computers (such as Laptops and Wi-Fi adapters). Along with tools such as groupware, conference calling, videoconferencing, and Voice over IP (VOIP), the need to physically travel to a centralized place of work diminishes further.

Advantages

To the employer

  • Reduces the need for office space, resulting in reduced company costs (less utilities consumed, less parking space required, less work space required, office space available can be shared by multiple employees by "office hoteling")[1]. On average, in 1995 energy costs were $1.51 per square foot of office space per year (with larger commercial buildings at about $1.19 per square foot per year)[2]. AT&T reported that $550 million in cash flow had been made between 1991 and 1998 due to telecommuting employees. [3]
  • An agency may find that by offering the flexibility to work from home, they can hire back a retiree with the right specialized experience to do a job on a part-time, rather than full-time, basis.)[4]
  • When properly managed, increases employee efficiency.[5]
  • In the event of a disaster, where workers can no longer use or reach their office, telecommuters are able to continue business.
  • In the event of employee sickness or personal issues that don't allow them to travel, work can still be done.

Office hoteling[1] can be taken advantage of by the employer in order to reduce office space requirements as each office can be used by multiple employees on separate days.

To the employee

  • Travel time is reduced
  • Fuel consumption is reduced
  • Convenient
  • Reduced work-family conflict
  • When properly managed, increases job satisfaction and reduces stress
  • Makes it more likely that one can move to another location without losing one's job
  • Not as involved in office politics that may affect job satisfaction or disrupt the work setting

Balancing between employee and employer

Conditions for the employee (the telecommuter) are generally most favorable when:

  1. The employer bears the equipment cost
  2. Commute distances are above average
  3. The commute vehicle has below-average fuel economy
  4. Travel time is highly valued
  5. Telecommuting is frequent

While conditions for the employer are most favorable when:

  1. The telecommuter bears the equipment cost
  2. There is low telecommuter attrition
  3. The employee is highly productive on telecommuting days
  4. The employee’s time is highly valued
  5. Telecommuting is frequent.

Other

  • Reduces traffic, which results in: better driving conditions; fewer accidents, congestion, and road maintenance costs; faster commutes; and more effecient fuel consumption.
  • Reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Preserves the environment by reducing the need for large offices and large highways.

California Pilot Project

The state of California ran a pilot project to determine the impacts of home-based telecommuting on travel behaviour and personal vehicle emissions. The authors compared participants' travel behaviour before and after telecommuting, and found a 27% reduction in the number of personal vehicle trips, a 77% decrease in vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT), and 39% (4%) decreases in the number of cold (hot) engine starts. The authors determined that these decreases translated into emissions reductions of: 48% for total organic gases (TOG), 64% for carbon monoxide (CO), 69% for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and 78% for particulate matter (PM). [6]

However, the number of personal vehicle trips and VMT partitioned into commute-related and non-commute-related purposes revealed that non-commute personal vehicle trips increased by 0.5 trips per day on average, whereas the non-commute VMT decreased by 5.3 miles.[6] This important finding supports the hypothesis that non-commute travel generation is a potential negative impact of telecommuting, though this small increase in non-commute trips has a negligible impact compared to the overall travel and emissions savings.

Caswell & Associates

Caswell & Associates, in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. , was a $650,000 firm that decided to give up its 1,700-square-foot office space, and instead gave each employee their own home office.

Caswell reported that the cost was $200 to $500 a head for modems and extra phone lines; each new employee also required a computer and a fax machine, at a per-employee total cost between $2,000 and $3,000. Since the transition, Caswell's phone bills doubled, but the company claims that all the costs together didn't come near to the $3,000-plus a month the company used to pay in rent.[7]

Limitations/Concerns

Limitations and concerns to telecommuting include:

  • Disconnect between employees/lack of team mentality
  • Employers feel a "loss of control" at not being able to continually check up on employees
  • Security concerns over the stealing of equipment or data
  • Fewer opportunities for career advancement due to not being consistently seen

Telework Associations

A number of associations have been established to help advance the growth and success of work independent of location through online resources.

Literature Review

A full literature review was conducted prior to creating our ECM. It can be found [[[File:mech425_greenITProject_Telecommuting_ECM.xls]]here]

Energy Conservation Measures (ECM)

The following telecommuting ECM prepared for Mech425_GreenIT_Project can be used to determine the monetary costs and savings, as well as the greenhouse gas emission savings, derived from implementing a telework system. A copy of the ECM can be found here: File:Mech425 greenITProject Telecommuting ECM.xls.

References

Template:Reflist

  1. 1.0 1.1 ["'Hoteling': Employees share desks as they check in to work". Central Penn Business Journal. FindArticles.com. 06 Feb, 2010. [[1]] Copyright Journal Publications Inc. Apr 17, 1998]
  2. <"A Look at Office Buildings: How do they use energy and how much does it cost?" (2001). [[2]] U.S. Energy Information Administration Independant Statistics and Analysis.
  3. [ Apgar, M. (1998). The alternative workplace: Changing where and how people work. Harvard Business Review, 76(3), 121-137.]
  4. [Polcastro, Mike. "Wages, benefits and tighter belts: agencies must not overlook the impact of pay and perks on their bottom line." Best's Review 110.8 (2009): 64. Academic OneFile. Web. 6 Feb. 2010.]
  5. [Shafizadeh (P.E.), Kevan R., et al. "Costs and Benefits of Home-Based Telecommuting: A Monte Carlo Simulation Model Incorporating Telecommuter, Employer and Public Sector Perspectives." Journal of Infrastructure Systems 13.1 (2007): 12-25. [[3]]]
  6. 6.0 6.1 [Koenig, Brett E., Dennis K. Henderson and Patricia L. Mokhtarian. "The Travel and Emissions Impacts of Telecommuting for the State of California Telecommuting Pilot Project." Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies 4.1 (1996): 13-32. Available on-line at: [[4]]]
  7. [Christopher Caggiano. "Five Ways to Save Money on Office Space" Mansueto Ventures LLC. July 1, 2000. [[5]]]
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