Knowledge workers are being called the distributed workforce . This group of highly prized workers is now able to work anywhere and any time by using a process called telecommuting . Distributed workers are those who have no permanent office at their companies , preferring to work at home offices , in airport lounges or client conference rooms , or on a high - school stadium bleacher . The growth of the distributed workforce is driven by globalization , extremely long commutes to work , rising gasopline prices , ubiquitous broadband communications liks (wireless and wireline ) , and powerful laptop computer and computing devices.
Currently , about 12 percent of the U.S workforce qualifies as being distributed . At IBM , 40 percent of the workforce has no office at the company , at AT & T , more than 30 percent of its managers are distributed and at Sun Microsystems, nearly 50 percent of employess are distributed , saving the company $300 million in real estate coasts. Sun also notes that its distributed workers are 15 percent more productive than their co-workers in offices .
Telecommuting has a number of potential advantages to employees , employers , and society . For employees , the benefits include reduce stress and improved family life . In addition , telecommuting offers employment opportunities for housebound people such as single parents and person with disabilities . Employer benefits include increased productivity , the ability to retain skilled employees , and the ability to attract employees who don't live with commuting distance.
In my comment , however telecommuting also has some potential disadvantages . For employees , the major disadvantages are incrased feelings of isolation , possible loss of fringe benefits , lower pay (in some cases) , no workplaces visibility , the potential for slower promotions , and lack of socialization . The major disadvantages to employers are difficulties in supervising work , potential data security problems , and training costs.
ReplyDelete