This Is The Downside Of Telecommuting

This Is The Downside Of Telecommuting Phil and Pam; Flickr There’s a new work trend that employees are loving: telecommuting. Research from  Global Workplace Analytics found that 3.7 million Americans work from home at least half of the time. In addition, a 2015 FlexJobs survey found that 30 percent of employees would take a 10 to 20 percent pay cut if it meant having more flexible work options. The appeal of telecommuting is obvious. Employees have more freedom to decide how they use their time, providing better work/life balance. It cuts down on travel costs and commuter stress. Not to mention that telecommuters can work all day in their pajamas. But that doesn’t mean working from home is right for everyone. If you come across an attractive telecommuting job in your search, know that there are certain drawbacks. Here are four things to consider before taking a telecommuting job: The reality of the work/life balance There’s a bit of a paradox when it comes to telecommuting. People choose to work from home in order to to improve their work/life balance, but then find themselves constantly working. In a 2014 Cornerstone OnDemand survey, 26 percent of employees felt like they couldn’t “turn off from work” after hours. They ended up checking emails and doing work during their personal time. When telecommuting, the lines between work and home become very blurry, leading to a less balanced life instead of a better one. That doesn’t mean people can’t make it work. But you need to be honest with yourself about your ability to set boundaries. It’s also important to talk to your potential employer about their expectations of your time. Will he want to be able to reach you 24/7? Or will there be set times you need to check your email? Knowing the answers to these questions before accepting the job will let you know what you’re really getting yourself into. Communication challenges Nowadays, we’re all accustomed to communicating via multiple technologies. But there can still be challenges adjusting to different communication methods when telecommuting. In fact, in a 2014 Software Advice survey, 38 percent of remote workers said communication difficulties were the biggest issue they faced. The key to success while working from home is understanding each communication method and its strengths and weakness. For instance, emails provide information that you can reference later, if need be. However, without vocal tones or body language cues, it’s easy to misconstrue the message. Look at it this way: if you’re someone who reads a text and needs an emoji to determine the sender’s mood, telecommuting might not be for you. Feeling disconnected from co-workers By taking yourself out of the office, you’re also distancing yourself from co-workers. That makes it hard to build and maintain good work relationships. And if you’re starting a new job as a telecommuter, there’s a chance you’ll be working with some people that you’ll never meet in real life. The people we work with have a powerful impact on our overall job satisfaction. If a virtual workplace reduces co-workers to nothing more than an email address, the workplace will begin to feel lonely. During the interview process, find out what steps the organization takes to build a strong company culture and connect the team. Are there regular video chats to put faces to names? Is there a forum for employees to discuss non-work related things? Small measures like these remind telecommuters that there are other humans out there who they’re working with. The effect on career paths Some companies allow employees to choose whether they work from home or in the office. However, do employers view both types of employees equally? Research suggests, no. A study from Stanford found that employees that worked from home were 50 percent less likely to be promoted. This might be completely unconscious on the part of employers, but it still affects your career path. Just like you would for a regular job, remember to discuss your career goals during the interview process for a telecommuting job. Ask if it’s realistic for you to advance your career at the pace you’d like while working from home. Also, find out how often the company promotes remote workers. If it turns out the negative impacts on your long-term career outweigh the other benefits of telecommuting, you might want to find another opportunity. What other considerations are important when thinking about taking a telecommuting job? Share in the comments below!