August 22, 2005 10:49 AM

Telecommuting - Wrong or Evil?
Posted by Jason Butlerat 10:49 AM

I admit it. I've been a telecommuter. I've worked from home in my pajamas, with my music pumping and my cats sleeping at my feet. I got a lot of work done -- often more than I did when I was physically in the office. I'm a fan of telecommuting.

BostonWorks contributor Mary Helen Gillespie is not a fan of telecommuting.

Does telecommuting really work? Right about now, I'd venture to say not. It's basically a boatload of trouble.

And as the novelty of managing remote employees becomes more mainstream, the more likely these negatives become embedded in the work culture. This holds true even if an organization has a formal fancy-schmancy policy outlining its Official Telecommuting Do's and Don'ts in exact, excruciating and legally defensible language. These black-and-white ground rules are great. The reality, of course, is execution and enforcement of said policy will be tangerine and fuchsia with a dash of magenta.

The discussion boards are live on this topic. Go put your two cents in.