A huge corner office was once a universal symbol for making it to the top of the corporate heap. Today, according to Alan Blume, the author of "Your Virtual Success," more people measure their success by being office-less.
But while the number of U.S. telecommuters ranges from 2.8 million (the number of people who list their home as a primary place of work, not including the self-employed) to 44.4 million (the number of people who work at home at least once a year), Blume points out that more than 50 million people have jobs that could be done remotely or have businesses that could be based at home.
"Even large companies are recognizing that having a virtual business means enormous financial savings, lower turnover, improved productivity, and no costly overhead," says Blume.
Do you have a "pajama job"?
You don't need to assemble crafts or take surveys in order to work from home--but you need to know whether your job is suited to being done off-site. Workers who can access networks, files, or databases remotely are good telecommuting candidates. For instance, IT and computer-systems analysts who design and maintain business networks can tackle a workload from a home office, via virtual desktops and virtual private networks--as long as they have a speedy Internet connection in place. Paralegals, medical transcriptionists, and insurance-claims processors can work remotely with reliable computer access. Many companies will also outsource sales and public-relations efforts, as those jobs require more time spent with clients than in the office.
(See more of the top jobs for telecommuting.)
Are you prepared to prove yourself?
Many would-be telecommuters think that once they can work in their bunny slippers, they'll be more productive than ever. The key is to convince the boss. Bruce A. Hurwitz, Ph.D., president and CEO of Hurwitz Staffing, says there are three ways to ensure that you'll get permission to telecommute:
1. Establish yourself as a reliable and trusted employee. Lin Grensing-Pophal, the author of "Managing Off-Site Staff," says, "The biggest barrier to telecommuting is trust, but, in reality, it's no different from managing employees who work in branch offices or other remote locations--even internationally."
2. Show the company it will cost them nothing. The focus needs to be on measurable results and on the business. Don't talk about how it will benefit you.
3. Show managers how they'll get a full day's work from you. For instance, explain how commuting time will become actual work time. And communicate, says Grensing-Pophal. Supervisors expect that employees working from home will be as accessible as they are in the office.
Hurwitz suggests keeping an accurate log of your productivity. "There is always the danger that other employees will complain. The log gives the employer the evidence to justify their decision."
If you're still stuck on how to make the right approach, Michelle Goodman, the author of "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide" recommends downloading a telecommuting proposal template, such as the one available at WorkOptions.com.
If at first you don't succeed ...
Goodman says you shouldn't give up. "Ask what conditions would need to be met in order to work from home, and then work to meet them," she recommends. You could also try to negotiate a short trial period or less frequent time off-site.
"Ask whether your boss would be open to revisiting the topic several months down the line," suggests Goodman. And while you wait, look around for evidence that telecommuting benefits other companies in your industry. Still getting the "no way" vibe? Goodman says, "It may be time to start poking around for a new position."
