The Virtual Woman: A Woman's
Weekly Guide To Cyberspace
Work Driving You Crazy? Web Can Help With Telecommuting Tips
Quietly sipping my morning coffee each morning I make it a point to catch the traffic report on the radio. I smile. My 30 second commute is complete. Yeah, so maybe some days it can get a bit tricky making my way from the bedroom to the bathroom to the office (hardwood floors can get slippery) but generally it's a walk in the park for me-literally -- as more often than not I've got the time for it. Meanwhile back at your place you're late for work, traffic is as thick as molasses and you've run out of bread for the sandwiches you're trying to pack. Finally, you rush out the door, heart pounding, body sweating, only to enjoy the privilege of polluting the air and sitting in traffic for an hour. National Public Radio, one hundred CD's stacked in the back seat of the car and a library of books on tapes be damned, having to sit in what amounts to a little box for an hour or two or three each day just isn't natural. So with this in mind I dedicate my column this week to all of you 9-5 commuters who could well be on your way to joining me in telecommuting Nirvana.
Dear Virtual Woman:
My day begins and ends with
an hour-long commute. The traffic is atrocious. By the time I get to work, I am worn out.
The rest of the day is spent in my cubicle emailing other sites, writing letters and other
correspondence, and arranging databases. Sometimes I wonder why I even come into the
office. My question is: How do I know if I should telecommute and how do I approach my
boss on the topic? And, if he won't allow me to telecommute, where can I find reputable
work-from-home opportunities?
- In a Jam
In A Jam:
Gil Gordon has a great resource for people that are telecommuting or thinking of telecommuting. At www.gilgordon.com, you can examine information about virtual offices, the legal issues of working from home, telecommuting resources, and articles on various telecommuting topics. Be prepared to answer your boss' questions on the profitability for the company in terms of money and time.
Relative to finding work from home, I may be virtual but I'm no fool. Before you sign on for any telecommuting job, check it out thoroughly. If they want you shell out money, make sure you will get your money's worth. Be cautious of get-rich-quick telecommute plans. Basically, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If in doubt, check out the Web Assurance Bureau at http://wabureau.com/. You can search for online companies that have received either customer complaints or compliments.
To check out actual telecommuting jobs, go to http://www.tjobs.com/. This free index of telecommuting jobs and email addresses has actual jobs in categories ranging from photography to engineering. You can even post your resume online for employers to view. This site also lists additional telecommuting job sites.
Dear Virtual Woman:
I am a manager in a
mid sized health care company. We are beginning to allow some of our workforce to
telecommute and I'd love to know if there are any guidelines for how to manage employees
who work from home.
- Theresa Cantor, Melbourne, FL
Dear Theresa:
Great question! It takes as much skill and dedication to learn to be a telecommuter as it does to learn how to manage these people. For some great tips on managing an at home workforce check out http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~perspay/policies/tmpart2.html#TMSEC2.B Also, the Gil Gordon site mentioned has some great information on managing telecommuters so be sure to check that out as well.
Dear Virtual Woman:
I've been telecommuting
for about six months now and love it. However, I wonder what the implications of
telecommuting will be in terms of our society and our economy. I see things changing as
more people work from home. Anyway, anything you might recommend out there online to read
about more global issues relative to telecommuting would be appreciated.
- Kim G.
Dear Kim:
I'm right there with you on this one. With more of us working from home I've often wondered about things like how we will all socialize and how and if communities we develop online are any sort of substitute for our face to face contact. Or how various merchants will be affected by the rise of online shopping. I recommend you go to a site titled "Shaping Our Communities: The Impacts Of Information-Technology" which can be found at http://www.internetcenter.state.mn.us/Itn-open.htm. It's thoughtful, well organized and exactly what you're looking for.
Happy Surfing!
Find these links and more at WWWomen.Com (http://www.wwwomen.com) the web's largest search directory of topics for women online. Email the Virtual Woman with your Internet questions or send snailmail to: WWWomen.Com, Attn: Virtual Woman, 3701 Geary Blvd., #325, S.F., CA 94118. Copyright, 1998. WWWomen, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Contributing Editor: Amy Cipolla
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