April 26, 2011 at 8:58 am
I have been telecommuting since August 2009. I had done additional work from home at previous jobs but this was the first job that allowed it fulltime. It definately has it's advantages, especially in the DC Metro area. The traffic here is amongst the worst in the US. That one aspect is a huge advantage. I am not even factoring in gas costs, vechicle wear and tear, parking, lunch, Starbucks. The drive was just miserable and life-sucking. BUT I do miss being in DC and walking around at lunchtime, especially this time of year.
The downside to working from home , for me, is becoming too accustomed to staying at home.
From 2003 to 2007 I spent a lot of time driving all over the US and spending about 120 nights a year in motels/hotels. Now I go out for food and supplies and to take my dog to the dog park. And work.
My actual place of work is 500 miles away and I have not been there since last July. Sometimes I think if I were there more that I would be privy to some more of the lunches and water cooler discussions that lead to decisions that affect my area.
But they keep me plenty busy. I find myself working at all hours of the evenings and many, many weekends. I'm not complaining. I enjoy it. The good work I do for them and my continued avaibility and quick resolutions are why they keep paying me.
Not everyone they hire to work remotely pans out. Once tagged as the 'elusive one' , you are on your way out the door.
The big blessing for me is, and this is more about last week's editorial about are you better off in your career now than a year ago, has been volunteering for the DBA work for a pretty large group of SQL Server upgrades. SQL 2000 to SQL 2005 or 2008. About 20 different servers.
I had worked with SQL some in the past but my real expertise had been mainframe DBA work. Which I do for these guys as well.
Doing the SQL upgrades has abolutely put me in a far better position that I was 1-2 years ago.
And a big reason for that is sites like this and a few other....Thanks Pinal Dave....;-)....
You younger folks may not remember having to dig through the room full of shelves of black or blue binders looking for error codes and parameters. Now you just google it. It's like having a magic genie in comparison.
I look forward to continued learning and continued work.
April 26, 2011 at 8:59 am
Michael Lato (4/26/2011)
I must agree with a previous poster that wonders why we should take a pay cut for the "privilege" of working from home. It saves the company a great deal of money, provides a better working environment, makes employees much more productive and happier, thus reducing turnover....
You don't have to take a pay cut. The editorial, and the survey, asked if you would be willing. Many people would since there are benefits to the employee. Less gas, less time, less maintenance on your vehicle, better health, all are benefits you receive.
The employer may not save a lot of money. They still maintain some office space, and a few studies have shown that it takes 3 people working remotely to remove one desk from the office. A company that has an office isn't saving what they already have invested in. They can't easily downsize space. Over time they can, but in the short term, they cannot.
Many companies that allow telecommuting also pick up the Internet bill, or phone bill, or other costs of a home office (and many employees think they should), so the savings aren't necessarily large in hard dollars.
However the employer does typically get more work done, at a higher quality.
April 26, 2011 at 9:06 am
Ron Porter (4/26/2011)
I have a different problem. I'd like an extra week (or 2!) of paid vacation. I'd like a 32-hour, 4-day work week. I know what the direct costs are for the extra vacation and I know what the direct savings would be for the shorter work week. My employer is willing to listen to me when I talk about those things, but refuses to consider them. I'm even willing to forgo the annual raise for 1 year even though it shouldn't be necessary (1 day off per week is about 3 weeks of saved wages, more than enough to pay for an extra 2 weeks of vacation). Yes, they lose access to my services for that extra time, but if my services that valuable, then they're not paying me nearly enough right now. At present, once I leave the office I'm no longer available for any reason and I'd even be willing to change that rule as part of the other changes. Still no go.
I've had mixed success talking this with companies. Two agreed to it (I quit one shortly thereafter, another failed 🙁 ), and 2 more didn't want it. In one case the HR department didn't want to allow it, really for no good reason other than it didn't fit the mold. The other case the boss just couldn't conceive of someone not working 5 (or 7) days a week. The success/failures were mixed at large and small companies.
I think you need to continue to work with the company and make a new argument, or a new ROI. Write up some scenarios and try to convince someone that it makes sense.
April 26, 2011 at 9:08 am
Two points you can make to your (prospective) employer.
First, telecommuting saves the employer about $500 per month for workspace.
Second, as someone already touched, if you are telecommuting, it is very difficult to justify extra pay for overtime or work on weekends.
April 26, 2011 at 9:37 am
Currently, no.
I have an enjoyable 20 minute drive with a carpool group, by the ocean and through hills and farm land. Staying home would not provide and adequate separation of work and home life.
April 26, 2011 at 9:52 am
I agree with Alan. I've worked from home before and always found it hard to switch off. Now I have a 75-minute trip each way but when I'm home I'm home 🙂
April 26, 2011 at 10:00 am
To answer the original question, I would definitely be willing to take a pay cut in order to telecommute. I live 50 miles away from work, so the savings of 2 hours per day of driving plus $400/month in gas would be like a raise in itself. However, I would still want to come into the office once per week or every other week, just to get some socialization and face time with my peers. Instant messaging & Facebook just don't cut it for me. Plus, going to work once in a while gives me the opportunity to go to lunch with friends I've made at work! 😀
April 26, 2011 at 10:10 am
Revenant (4/26/2011)
Two points you can make to your (prospective) employer.First, telecommuting saves the employer about $500 per month for workspace..
How do you figure? ($500/month/workspace seems like a lot more than reasonable at least in our market.)
Like Steve said if you are already employed and have a workspace it isn't like they can cut that part of the office out and stop paying rent for it, so it is likely they won't save much, and if they pay for your Internet or phone it might actually cost them more. Most places have long term contracts so it could be 5-10 years before they could down-size the office.
April 26, 2011 at 10:16 am
Since July 2008 I have been telecommuniting with the required trips for deployments and team meetings. I love it for obvious reasons. 1) Saves my vehicle from all the wear and tear, 2) reduced my need for gas and 3) most importantly I am able to spend additional time with my family that was taken away when I stuck sitting in traffic. Feb 2011 I signed on with a different company and the DBA position I currently hold is 100% virtual. Some people like it and some people don't. Working virtually is definitely not for everyone. I love the fact I can relocate and use collaborative workspaces like gangplank in Chandler, AZ. I have a wireless broadband card so I can almost work from anywhere. Of course high speed internet access is better, but I have the flexibility. I work my hours like anyone else and with Office Communicator or Microsoft Lync someone can ping me for help as if they just walked up to my cube.
April 26, 2011 at 10:28 am
I think that being flexible for some work at home times is great, and I would score points against a job offer where that wasn't included, but I'm not a fan as a replacement for office work. Face to face communication trumps online and there is a chemistry and a web of informal knowledge that develops between teams in the same office that you just don't get working remotely.
April 26, 2011 at 10:58 am
Funny I just accepted and will be starting a new job in less than two weeks doing that exact thing.
I decided (after discussing with my wife) to take a pay cut with the idea that I will be working from home 4 out of 5 days a week.
There were other factors I considered as well. I know I will be going to training paid by the company, and a strong possibility of going to PASS this year. I was actually shooting for SQLRally but can't be too greedy 🙂
I will be getting some retirement benefits as well as I will have the choice of overtime or comp time and get Sunday differential. All in all I am betting this is a good move.
Cheers!
______________________________
AJ Mendo | @SQLAJ
April 26, 2011 at 11:04 am
in my last job, the ability to telecommute offset the pain of being in the office on occasion. I was part of a disparate team, and when in the office, was often alone anyway. Most of my communication was with remote individuals in other offices anyway, so it didn't need to occur in the office. When work and stress got to be rather large contributors to my daily mood, working from home seemed to be the pressure release valve that kept me going.
At first I talked myself into it like i was due, or owed this privilege. I tried to tell myself that I wasn't using it as a salve to protect a wound.
Fast forward to today, I have a different job and go into the office daily. I have yet to really feel the desire to stay home and work from home at this job, as a salve. I do enjoy my working environment, the team and the other empoloyees have made me feel a part of the company, not just a part of a team. So, for now, working from home isn't a driving force in my day to day life. But, i am still in the honeymoon period. We'll see given time how I feel again.
But for now, I believe that working from home should be an option. If you as an employee can handle the responsibility and has the desire, then the employer should work with them on this venture, not as a perk of the job, but as a part of the job. It should be considered similar to health care coverage, sick time off, etc. Proportions can be set that please both parties.
I do have the option to work from home now, and intend on using it from time to time. Mainly as my schedule permits.
April 26, 2011 at 11:12 am
UMG Developer (4/26/2011)
Revenant (4/26/2011)
Two points you can make to your (prospective) employer.First, telecommuting saves the employer about $500 per month for workspace..
How do you figure? ($500/month/workspace seems like a lot more than reasonable at least in our market.)
. . .
That is what Microsoft charges a vendor if you want a small, humble office. Their number is apparently based on a comprehensive study that is posted on their Intranet.
April 26, 2011 at 11:15 am
Revenant (4/26/2011)
UMG Developer (4/26/2011)
Revenant (4/26/2011)
Two points you can make to your (prospective) employer.First, telecommuting saves the employer about $500 per month for workspace..
How do you figure? ($500/month/workspace seems like a lot more than reasonable at least in our market.)
. . .
That is what Microsoft charges a vendor if you want a small, humble office. Their number is apparently based on a comprehensive study that is posted on their Intranet.
So where do you work? I have a weird feeling that it starts with M, finishes with t and has a full name of 9 letters :w00t:.
April 26, 2011 at 11:19 am
I have to agree with Andy Doran and others. The company benefits at least as much as we do when we work from home. I also wouldn't take a pay cut because there are enough downward pressures on our pay as it is. Companies should get a tax break for every employee they allow to work from home since that'll save wear & tear on public infrastructure, ease commuting and reduce gas consumption and air pollution.
Why allow telecommuting, but not use offshore outsourcing? Because if need be we can still come in to the office, have face to face meetings, be on the same time schedule as the business people, etc...
And because outsourcing really doesn't work very well. You don't have the control over the product that you'd want, communication takes longer, changes take longer.
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When you encounter a problem, if the solution isn't readily evident go back to the start and check your assumptions.
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It’s unpleasantly like being drunk.
What’s so unpleasant about being drunk?
You ask a glass of water. -- Douglas Adams
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