by Yehuda Cagen
12. October 2010 12:21
While our primary business is IT consulting in Houston, we are heavily involved in helping clients creative a more flexible and efficient workplace through the use of computer services and tele-working, and we have recently recognized for exemplarily workplace practices as an Honorable Mention recipient of the prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Award.
It doesn’t appear that tele-working will ever fully-replace the conventional office setup. There are just some sectors and circumstances in which it won’t work optimally.
Teleworking is part of today’s business culture
I recall a similar conversation in the mid to late 90s with regard to e-commerce vs. brick-and-mortar. Some “projections” were asserting that brick-and-mortar would dissipate in the wake of the online store. Certainly, it’s revolutionized the way in which we shop, which I’m sure we all anticipated, but not the extent of the “extinction projections”.
There is also a “green” and “workplace morale” element involved in the telecommuting movement. Organizations such as When Work Works and the Flexible Workplace Initiative have worked collaboratively with local officials and business leaders across the US in creating a more flexible workplace environment, thereby reducing traffic and related gas emissions.
So regardless of how short telecommuting fell of expectations and predictions, I do believe that it also enables businesses to attract better talent, retain that talent by working more collaboratively within the employee‘s personal life, create a more efficient work environment, and help an organization’s social reputation by being more “green”.
