Telecommuting Helps Employers, Employees

Microsoft (News - Alert) recently conducted a poll of workers to see how remote working technologies are being used.

In Connecticut, one of 36 sites polled nationwide, 65 percent of the respondents said they could fulfill their job duties from home or another remote location.

Microsoft reported that by working from home an employee could save approximately $900 a year on fuel and there were additional savings from less wear on a car.

Employers also benefit according to a Penn State University study, and contrary to popular belief that face time at the office is essential for good work relationships, telecommuters' rapport with their managers and coworkers does not suffer from telecommuting. Managers who oversaw telecommuters reported that their performance was not negatively affected by working from home.

According to the Microsoft survey 74 percent of employees surveyed said they are more productive when they work outside of the office.

Microsoft also found that unified communications technologies such IM, voice over Internet protocol, voice, telepresence, videoconferencing and message delivery to a broad range of devices and Live Meeting - which allows real-time engagement through Web conferencing, training sessions and events allowed employees to work from such varied places as a coffee shop, an airplane, a doctor's office, a park or even the grocery store