Perception
Unfortunately, the first image of telecommuting that comes to one's mind is likely not one of focus or productivity, and when you are relying on an employee to produce, other fears might emerge as well. Once a team member is out of sight, even the more hands-off of leaders will tend to become nervous.
"This guy is off the radar - how will I know if he's really getting his work done?"
"How do I call an emergency meeting if my team is spread out across four different zip codes?"
"What if my team members need to work closely together on a special project?"
"Can my team easily access everything on our network from their home?"
Productivity is obviously one of the biggest here, but operational, technical, and geographic concerns are just as important. When a team telecommutes, gone are opportunities to simply walk over to a colleague's desk for an impromptu discussion; the value of a quick sit-down or white-boarding session can't be denied. And while it may not be an issue for larger corporations, a small business or start-up might not have the capabilities in place to support remote access or a robust Virtual Private Network (VPN).
These are just a few concerns that ultimately boil down to trust, leadership style, logistics, and infrastructure. The goal, though, is that by addressing some of these issues based on experiences and learned lessons, a number of the misconceptions might be cleared and views on telecommuting can become more positive. It is important to note, of course, that telecommuting is not necessarily appropriate for all companies or teams - a traditional office model has enormous benefits. But knowing when a team is able to successfully operate remotely has advantages of its own.
In addition to workplace perception, family, friends, and even neighbors often have an unusual view what it means to work from home.
"Wow, you must watch a lot of TV."
"It must be nice to work in your pajamas all day."
"You can't complain - you work from home."
"You're always home. I thought you were unemployed."
For many, coworkers are described as one's "work family," "work spouse," and so on. And for good reason, given the time spent day in and day out. Suddenly moving those chunks of time home can be jarring and disruptive for those in one's personal life. Unfortunately, people tend to judge based on what they can see; while the ultimate goal is a seamless transition from office building to home, all the deliverables in the world will be overshadowed by the sight of a bathrobe and slippers. And let's not kid ourselves - envy plays a big part in this. After spending an hour staring at brakelights, eight hours under fluorescent lighting, and another hour commuting home, the thought of someone rolling out of bed and going about their workday in the comfort of home is nothing short of infuriating. There is a minus for every plus, though. For those who have truly telecommuted on a long-term basis, it is not all sweatpants and Twinkies - something that will hopefully be demonstrated here.
One's simple presence is enough to affect the workday, as well. In an office environment, coworkers tend to respect a desk/workspace/office. (Well, that is ideal, I suppose.) Interruptions are met with apologies, and distractions are kept to a minimum. Move that work home, however, and a spouse, child, roommate, or pet may not have the same perception of a true work environment. Ultimately, these kinds of issues can be addressed with a bit of polite respect and some basic cues to express the ability of one to effectively telecommute.