Why allowing your employees to telecommute is good for business

A happy employee is a productive employee and there's no better way to make sure your staffers are whistling while they work than with telecommuting.

Giving your employees the option to telecommute not only improves their quality of life; it also improves their quality of work. So, if you're management team is considering going the telecommuting route with employees, here are just a few possible ways your business can benefit:

Telecommuting on the rise

When employees are able to work flexible schedules from the comfort of their own homes, the working world becomes a better place. As the telecommuting trend continues to rise, the benefits of remote working are becoming crystal clear for businesses of all kinds.

If your business is on the fence about adopting a telecommuting workforce, then it's important to know there are companies already paving the way.

In fact, according to Bolt Insurance and the Telework Research Network, a whopping 30 million Americans are working from home one day a week or more.

In addition, there are more than 3 million full-time telecommuters with schedules that require minimal to no office visits at all. That number is expected to rise to nearly 5 million full-time telecommuters by 2016.

So, what does telecommuting mean for your business?

As the following article shows, “The Telecommuting Trend and How Your Company Can Handle It”, means getting it right the first time around so both the business and its employees can benefit from it.

There's a lot to consider before signing your business and your employees up for telecommuting. For starters, telecommuting simply doesn't fit with all business-types. If your business thrives on face-to-face interactions and teamwork, then telecommuting might not work.

Likewise, although most office employees would jump at the chance to telecommute, some workers don't perform as well in a home setting. Separating your telecommuting superstars from the rest of the work crowd is key.

Handling and implementing the telecommuting trend into your business means recognizing whether the work-from-home mindset will play to your business's strengths. If you decide telecommuting is right for your business, the advantages of the workplace alternative are pretty astounding.

Cost savings for all

There are numerous cost savings involved with telecommuting. Your business will experience substantial savings in office occupancy expenses including utilities costs, leased office space, and additional costs associated with office supplies.

As for your employees, the savings just keep coming. By skipping the morning and after work commutes, your staffers will save on fuel costs and general vehicle maintenance costs. In addition, they won't have to spend anything on work attire or lunch break grub either.

Absences are a thing of the past

When your employees are able to work from home, it makes their work lives and their home lives more flexible. This kind of schedule flexibility decreases absences by allowing workers to take care of daily responsibilities on their own schedules.

Instead of employees taking a full day off for family or personal matters, they can tend to their personal schedules and still fit in their work responsibilities.

Additionally, telecommuting employees are less likely to call in sick because working from home while under the weather is much more convenient than doing so from the office.

Productivity skyrockets

Above all else, when your business goes the telecommuting route, productivity oftentimes increases exponentially. Flexible schedules in combination with the enthusiasm of a work-from-home atmosphere means your employees are likely to work more efficiently and more often.

If your business is looking for a change of pace and an upswing in work output, then try telecommuting on for size.

Adam Groff is a freelance writer and creator of content. He writes on a variety of topics including workplace well-being and home businesses.