Is telecommuting really on its way out?
Assuming you're one of the lucky few who actually have a job, how does having a four-day work week or at least or a flexible schedule sound?
How about being able to work from home occasionally, or even all the time for that matter?
According to a recent survey, the top reason that people want a flexible job is to find work-life balance, followed by:- More time with family
- Less commuting stress
- More free time
- Fewer costs from commuting and work expenses
- Better health and more exercise
Yahoo's new CEO Marissa Mayer recently announced that she was abolishing the company's longstanding work-from-home policy, arguing that to foster a culture of innovation and collaboration Yahoo employees really had to be around the office.
So far, the controversial move to end telecommuting and bring workers back to the office has yet to catch fire though.
Eighty percent of 120 human resources executives recently polled by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said they continue to offer a telecommuting option, with 97 per cent saying they are no plans to change this practice.
We tend to trust what we can see, which makes it difficult to evaluate employees who don’t spend time in the office. To ensure they're being fair in in their assessment of remote workers, employers should ask telecommuters to suggest performance metrics that assess both their results and behaviour.
At the same time, don’t inadvertently slight telecommuters for raises or promotions because they’re “out of sight, out of mind,” suggests Keith Ferrazzi in the Harvard Business Review. 
Are you able to work from home? Do you worry that this perk might be on its way out? Do you think you might be missing out when it comes to evaluations?
By Gordon Powers, MSN Money
Posted by: Jack | Apr 10, 2021 8:57:46 PM
I work for one of the biggest oil companies in the world. I work exclusively out of my home. At one time this perk was going to be phased out, but now it is becoming much more popular, especially given the success upper management has seen from people like me. This gives great work life balance. I put my 8 hrs (mostly more) per day, but chose when I do this. I am alwys available 24/7 for emergencies. I have no concerns about whether or not I am being recognized by my managers by always being out of their sight. I have to deliver results, no matter where I am. I get bonuses, stock options, and special perks for exceeding perfomance expectations.