Why some employers allow telecommuting while others don’t
Despite the fact that there are many telecommuting benefits for both employers and employees, there are some companies that just don’t believe in this. No matter what happens, these organizations are strongly opposed to telecommuting and everything that comes along with it.
Although it is impossible to know what every employer is thinking, there are some common reasons for not allowing telecommuting.
No experience with telecommuting
An employer that knows nothing about telecommuting and is not willing to learn is one that will be opposed to this way of doing things. Until they open their eyes and realize that this is something that many others are doing, they will continue to turn the other way and hope for the best.
Positions don’t allow for it
Let’s face it: some jobs can be completed from home while others cannot. For example, people in sales are often times afforded the ability to work from a home office. On the other hand, somebody who works in manufacturing – or any other hands-on job – will not have the same luxury.
Burnt by a telecommuter in the past
If an employer has been burnt by a telecommuter in the past, they may not want to give this another try in the future. This comes down to the saying “one bad apple can spoil the bunch.” Once an employer has a bad experience with telecommuting, they will be less likely to let somebody try this again.
Lack of trust in employees
Some employers have a high level of trust in their employees. However, there are those who do not trust anybody who works for them. As bad as this sounds, it is entirely true. If a company does not trust an employee the chance of him or her telecommuting is next to none. Instead, these types of companies want to keep a close watch on everything that an employee is doing.
Need employees on site for meetings and collaboration
As noted above, some positions can be easily worked on a telecommuting basis. There are others that do not fit this mold. In many cases, this is not because workers have to be on-site but because employers want them on site.
Sticking with the salesman example, many professionals in this field find it simple to work from home as long as they have the proper telecommuting setup. That being said, some companies just don’t believe in this for one reason or another. Most commonly, they want employees to be on-site all the time to ensure that they are able to attend meetings and collaborate with others in person.
Final word
Unfortunately, there are more companies against telecommuting than in favor of it. With that in mind, this is beginning to shift just a bit as employers realize the benefits.
No matter if you are an employee interested in working from home or an employer making this decision, consider both the pros and cons.
If you are an employee, or interested in finding jobs that are already telecommute enabled, take a look at our job board link below.