At Large
Highs and lows of telecommuting
By Rina Jimenez-David
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:32:00 07/08/2008
MANILA, Philippines—The New York Times recently asked a dozen experts on energy, the economy and contemporary lifestyles what the current high prices of oil would mean for the average American family. A number of the experts agreed that, for one, the high cost of commuting from home to workplace would make “telecommuting” more common and popular.
Amy Lindgren, who owns a career consulting firm, writes on the website ajc jobs.com that telecommuting is commonly understood as “working at home for an outside employer,” to differentiate it from, say, owning a home-based business or pursuing a calling (writing, composing, say) from home.
Telecommuting has really taken off with the surging popularity of email and the Internet, making it possible for anyone, practically anywhere in the world, to communicate with as many people as he/she wants, and to access any kind of information available on the Web. I know of people who work full- or part-time from home, doing jobs as varied as editing research papers, teaching English to foreigners, lay-outing magazines or brochures, or writing their own blogs (would that make them self-employed?), all from the comfort of their homes.
Of course, given the relatively shallow penetration of computer use in the Philippines, and the still primitive communication infrastructure (our Philippine Coast Guard can’t even keep track of ships at sea, for Chrissakes), we’re still quite a distance from being a nation of telecommuters. But given the spiraling cost of gasoline and corresponding increases in public transport fares, power and staffing costs, telecommuting may become more and more a viable option for both employees and employers, as well as a boon for the economy.
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But… and take it from me, there are huge buts on both ends of the telecommuting road. I guess you could say I’ve been “telecommuting” for almost two decades, ever since I was released from editing duties and could just send in my column, four times a week by now.
Here are some advantages as listed by Lindgren in her article on “Telecommuting Tips”:
• Savings in commuting costs and in commuting time. And in Metro Manila where the typical home-office commute can take as long as two hours, this is not a small gift. Working from home saves you not just gas or fare, but the stress of competing for cabs or space on the Metro Rail Transit, as well as the health hazards of pollution and the trauma of petty crime.
• Flexibility—You’re no longer tied to a rigid 9-5 schedule, and can work at the times that work best for you: late at night or in the dead early morning hours. It also means you have the time to squeeze in the innumerable chores that crop up during the day: paying bills, comforting crying children, or having a manicure.
• Casual comfort—In other words, you can work in your pajamas or the ubiquitous daster, with no need to shower or change until you feel like it.
• Concentration—With no gossipy officemates dropping in to share the latest chismis, no constant angling for the attentions or favors of bosses, or having to deal with workplace intrigues, you can turn your full attention to the work at hand and even submit your requirements before the deadline.
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And now for the disadvantages:
• Lack of concentration. Sure, you don’t have to deal with gossipy officemates or overbearing bosses (except through email), but other concerns and people can ruin your workday. And unlike officemates, children don’t take kindly to locked doors or rebuffs. And as the spouse left at home, you’ll have to be the one dealing with bill collectors, delivery people, household emergencies and telemarketers. Beware, too, of the distractions of TV, DVD or downloaded videos.
• Space—You will need at the very least a table from which to work, including a comfortable chair and good lighting. And working from home entails hidden costs, such as air-conditioning, DSL connections, and coffee supply—all of which you pay for yourself.
• Isolation—Telecommuting can be lonely, and if you do it long enough, you can fall into a rut that you wished to avoid when you were working in an office in the first place. It’s comfy working in your house clothes, all right, but you can take it too far, and without the motivation of looking presentable in public, you can turn into a (malodorous) slob.
• Disconnect from the boss—Lindgren says some bosses tend to forget about employees (and their potential) they don’t see every day. She suggests regularly emailing your superior if only to remind him/her of your existence, or dropping by the workplace once in a while to submit a piece of work, take in a meeting or angle for an assignment.
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Not everyone is cut out for telecommuting, and you can take on this mode of work, says Lindgren, if you are: self-motivated, able to meet deadlines without need for structure or authority breathing down your neck, creative as well as self-reliant.
One of the things I loved best about being a journalist was waking up on a workday and not knowing how the day would unfold. There were so many unexpected situations, new people to encounter, moving deadlines to chase. Funnily, now that I’m freed from the structure of newsroom work, I find myself following a routine that requires quite an effort to break out of.
Fortunately, writing a column does require me to leave the house every so often, hunting down material for this space. Unless, the day comes when we can all do our interviews via e-mail, and cover bank robberies by simply clicking on YouTube.
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