Weighing the pros and cons of expanding telecommuting options

Q         Several employees forced to work from home during the pandemic say they prefer it to working in the office and actually feel more productive. Should we be preparing to extend and expand our telecommuting options even after the coronavirus subsides?

A   The answer to whether you should be expanding telecommuting options depends on your analysis of the “pros” and “cons.” There are many benefits to establishing a permanent work-from-home set-up. For one, employees can avoid a long and arduous morning commute. Employers in big and small cities often have employees who commute from the suburbs, which could result in a potential loss of up to 2 hours of productivity each day. Without a morning commute, employees can spend time they otherwise would spend sitting in a car (mindlessly listening to the radio, for example) on work-related tasks.

Another pro is that working from home provides employees the opportunity to work during their most productive hours. For example, your “morning employees” can take advantage of those early hours and take a break or rest during their least productive hours in the afternoon or evening.