Working Together…Apart

tel⋅e⋅com⋅mut⋅ing /tel-i-kuh-myoo-ting/

–noun
working at home by using a computer terminal electronically linked to one’s place of employment.

For anyone who has not noticed recently, telecommuting is a prevalent buzz word. What full-time employee would not love the luxury of working from home (WFH) while the laundry churns in the background, waves of downy-fresh sheets wafting through the air…

Work-life balance may just be the #1 challenge most career professionals face today and telecommuting seems to be the panacea. But is it? Who is really woven from work-from-home threads and what are the pitfalls…?

Recently, by design and not default, I chose the WFH road and have not had any desire to make a U-turn! However, I have hit some speedbumps along the way and learned when to hit the accelerator as well as when to go on cruise control:

#1. Barriers to Efficiency: when working from home, what you gain in peace and solace you lose in real-time interaction. By the time your cable modem downloads an email, your coworkers on the T1 line may have already had a meeting and decided how to respond. Emails lost in flight are frustrating at best and inefficient at worst. When in doubt, pick up the phone and confirm that you are on the same page -or- if the issue at hand is not urgent, let some time pass and monitor your email. If no other posts are received, you’re probably safe to respond.

#2. Perception is NOT Always Reality: it is commonplace for the telecommuter to experience WFH disorder, i.e., the perception that your work is not as worthwhile nor your contribution as appreciated. Just remember that a) your employer trusted you enough to grant you the luxury of WFH and b) the skills you use to write a proposal in your pajamas are as strong as those which you would use sitting at a desk at the office. In fact, my guess is that the clarity of mind you attain from being at home, away from constant interruptions, will produce a far better proposal. But, you must know your own contribution and be secure in its worth- or the WFH game will begin to play games with your head. CAVEAT: if you are of the professionally insecure set, perhaps telecommuting is not for you. Which leads me to..

#3. To Thine Own Personality Type be True: not everyone is a prime WFH contender. Structure, discipline, experience and confidence are key. Not to mention a handy and talented IT guy should your printer or laptop go on the fritz when you really need to proof that proposal…

Working from home should be a win-win whereby employers have an opportunity to meet the needs of a valued employee and employees have the ability to find that elusive work-life balance.

So ask yourself this: would you trade in your pumps for pajamas, button down shirts for boxers? IF the answer is YES, be prepared to tackle tasks on your own, make executive decisions and sometimes, even get dressed and make an appearance at the office when duty calls.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya