Electronics company Plantronics wants their employees not to come into the office. Why? Because the headset manufacturer believes that telecommuting can provide flexibility and productivity benefits over coming into the office each day. As a result, they have designed their new corporate headquarters around the idea that the majority of their employees will be out of the office - working from home - more days than not. In fact, they do not even have enough desks for every employee to be there at the same time.
Fast Company reports,"Plantronics is hardly the first company to encourage its employees to telecommute, but it’s still rare to find an organization that’s so dedicated to the idea. It might be a little bit of an adjustment to people used to sitting at work all day every day, but the generation just coming out of school–the one that’s used to having instant access to people through cell phones, Skype, and email–expects nothing less. With gas prices steadily climbing, the prospect of working remotely three days a week seems especially attractive.
And Plantronics has no limits on how often employees work from home–it just asks that they make sure their home workplaces are ergonomically safe."
More and more companies are trying out telecommuting, and with good reason. The two primary reasons telecommuting is gaining popularity are:
1. Workers' Wants: As the aging baby boomers are eased out of the workforce and replaced by Gen Y and younger generations, expectations about telecommuting are changing. The new generations of workers have always had computers and cell phones, and are used to being mobile and "plugged-in." Many prefer to telecommute as a result.
2. Travel Expenses: The cost of commuting is rising with energy costs. If energy costs do not stabilize, employees who are not able to work from home at their current job may look for jobs closer to home or with more flexibility. It is likely that any pay cut will be at least partially offset by the savings in commuting costs.
In spite of concerns about employee productivity, studies show that workers feel empowered by the freedom to complete work tasks where and when they choose. By enabling them to work in a comfortable environment and time frame, employers are reaping the benefits of maximum productivity and at the same time eliminating costly overhead for maintaining physical office space for all employees.
One important factor that is largely overlooked with telecommuting, however, is ergonomics. When a company controls employees' working enviroment, they can ensure that each employee's workspace is ergonomically correct to avoid work injury. With telecommuting, it is important for the employee to understand the importance of setting up their home office with ergonomics in mind to prevent work injury. For example, an ergonomically correct home office requires
• Proper height and distance of the computer monitor to avoid neck pain and eye strain.
• Adjustable chair with attention paid to the correct chair height and angle from the floor and work top.
• Keyboard placement and support to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome.
DISCLAIMER: All information on this website are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended to be construed as legal advice. The Law Offices of Dworkin & Maciariello shall not be liable for any errors or inaccuracies contained herein, or any actions taken in reliance thereon.
Illinois Work Injury Blog
Illinois Work Injury Blog - providing information and resources regarding work injury and workers compensation issues in the Chicago, Illinois area.
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