Telecommuting is a workplace option that permits employees to work at an alternative worksite, such as the home, for one or more days per week. Partial or total substitution of telecommuting for an employee’s daily commute to work has been made possible largely through the use of computer technology. Although the term was coined in 1973, the concept is now being used by large and small companies alike, which has advantages for both employer and employee.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the US Department of Labor, in 2019 23.7 percent of employed people did some or all of their work at home and 41.7 percent of those with an advanced degree performed some work at home. Many employers are allowing their employees to telecommute as an added post-pandemic workplace benefit.
The telecommuting “virtual office” might consist of a phone, laptop computer, facsimile and/or scanner and voicemail capabilities. Since these items are now widely available and affordable to most employees and companies, many employees can work virtually anywhere. An employer considering telecommuting as an option for employees might expect the following benefits: