In some circles, theres been a stigma about telecommuting and telecommuters know it.
A study done last year at the University of Illinois found that telecommuters often work harder because they fear their boss will think employees who work from home are gaming the system.
That came after newly appointed Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer ruffled some feathers at her company in 2012, when she banned telecommuting in an effort to boost productivity.
As telecommuting has become more popular, some of these neuroses may be fading.
A recent survey by Flex+Strategy Group found that 90 percent of employees believe their bosses trust them with their work, whether theyre doing it in an office or at home.
If thats true, allowing employees to telecommute could curtail turnover.
But Flex+Strategy Group found that companies dont effectively train employees on how to manage telecommuting.
"We're stuck in the 1990s with outdated work and management practices that, along with lack of training and infrastructure, put recent investments in workplace innovation at risk and could erode the current reservoir of employee goodwill," said the research firm's CEO, Cali Williams Yost.
A recent study in the Association for Psychological Sciences journal found that telecommuting can be good for productivity when its done in moderation.
The research indicated that telecommuting can also lead to increased job satisfaction, organizational commitment and job performance and lower work stress and exhaustion, the reports authors said.
However, the study found that telecommuting is more likely to have a negative effect on those without strong self-discipline. Even for those who can handle it, working from home can create a feeling of isolation from one's peers.
"Telecommuters should be provided with appropriate technology so that they can effectively complete their work from outside the office while staying in close connection with in-office colleagues," according to the study.
A study done last year at the University of Illinois found that telecommuters often work harder because they fear their boss will think employees who work from home are gaming the system.
That came after newly appointed Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer ruffled some feathers at her company in 2012, when she banned telecommuting in an effort to boost productivity.
As telecommuting has become more popular, some of these neuroses may be fading.
A recent survey by Flex+Strategy Group found that 90 percent of employees believe their bosses trust them with their work, whether theyre doing it in an office or at home.
If thats true, allowing employees to telecommute could curtail turnover.
But Flex+Strategy Group found that companies dont effectively train employees on how to manage telecommuting.
"We're stuck in the 1990s with outdated work and management practices that, along with lack of training and infrastructure, put recent investments in workplace innovation at risk and could erode the current reservoir of employee goodwill," said the research firm's CEO, Cali Williams Yost.
A recent study in the Association for Psychological Sciences journal found that telecommuting can be good for productivity when its done in moderation.
The research indicated that telecommuting can also lead to increased job satisfaction, organizational commitment and job performance and lower work stress and exhaustion, the reports authors said.
However, the study found that telecommuting is more likely to have a negative effect on those without strong self-discipline. Even for those who can handle it, working from home can create a feeling of isolation from one's peers.
"Telecommuters should be provided with appropriate technology so that they can effectively complete their work from outside the office while staying in close connection with in-office colleagues," according to the study.
