Human Resource Management at Telecommuting - Assignment Example

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL d: Designation Address Dear Sir/Madam, I submit herewith a report supporting the use of telecommuting in organizational resource management under the requirements of the course__________________________ at _________________________. I humbly request your acceptance regarding the same. Yours Sincerely ­­­­­­­­­­__________________ Human Resource Management- TELECOMMUTING Student’s Name Dated SUMMARY OF THE REPORT Telecommuting is of the new business practices of today’s age which involves getting the work to the employees instead of bringing the employees to work. Needless to say, it has several positive implications on the organizational cost as well as the employee motivation levels. Many organizations are hesitant to adopt the telecommuting model due to the lack of control it gives the employers and the chances of work inefficiency due to lack of supervising authority (Brewer, 2000). Other firms have successfully adopted the system and enjoy low costs with a dedicated and satisfied workforce. The aim of this paper is to shed light on the various facets of telecommuting, its implications, work management tools and a pilot program suggestion that incorporates all the necessary elements for effectiveness. TABLE OF CONTENTS Resource Management- TELECOMMUTING 5 INTRODUCTION 5 BENEFITS OF TELECOMMUTING 6 BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYERS 6 BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES 7 PILOT PROGRAM 7 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 9 REFERENCES: 10 Resource Management- TELECOMMUTING INTRODUCTION Gone are the days when it was customary for work to be done within confined spaces and offices behind a desk in from a designated time period. The growing importance of human resources and a study of the various aspects associated with it gave birth to new concepts that were aimed at motivating employees as a driver of productivity. Many theories emerged for example the service profit model that proposes that motivated employees contribute towards workplace efficiency and ultimately improve the overall service levels of the business. Since employee motivation plays a significant role in internally driving the workforce to give their best at their work, many steps and accommodations are allowed by the employers to make sure that the employees are at ease while at work. The growing importance of a dedicated workforce for the overall organizational success has made it imperative that their changing needs are accounted for and catered too. Employees now seek work discretion and creativity as important factor for pursuing and retaining a job. Personal lives and commitments are regarded as important as professional ones, making it necessary for the workplaces to provide them the flexibility to enjoy both. Just like job sharing and working time flexibility, telecommuting is one such feature that plays a massive role in giving the employees the power and flexibility to work as they please but within time. Telecommuting refers to the ability of the employees to work from distant locations during some days of the week (Hr.ucmerced.edu, 2014). These locations could include homes, libraries or other work stations. By allowing the employees to do the same work they would have done if they were at the office, from a place of their pleasing, the employees are in a better position to give their best efforts and feel satisfied due to the organizational commitment to accommodate their needs. Telecommuting can be pursued due to various reasons including long workplace route, family commitments, disabilities that refrain their easy commute or simply because the employees feel more comfortable working from a place of their choice. By selecting a venue that best suits their needs and demands, employees are in a better mental frame to give their best efforts to work and also feel internally motivated. BENEFITS OF TELECOMMUTING There have been many debated regarding the extent to which telecommuting can be trusted as giving the employees freedom to work from a place of their choice some days of the week may endanger the organizational confidentiality, entice employees to indulge in social loafing and contribute towards inefficiency and lack of productivity. Employers argue that the workplace should be made ideal for the employees to accommodate their needs and to provide them with a conducive work environment. Telecommuting is associated more with the schedule aspect of the job rather than the job description. Thus, an effective plan can help make arrangements that are beneficial for both employers and employees. BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYERS Telecommuting gives the organization the opportunity to increase the workforce without increasing the office space, cutting down on additional costs that are incurred for the accommodation of the complete staff (Kurkland & Bailey, 1999). Parking facilities of the office building as well as for the community is utilized effectively reducing the congestion and traffic problems that ensure during the peak office hours. Resource utilization is more efficient as the load on the firm’s systems is distributed evenly through the off hours as well. Thus, it not only reduces system problems to a great extent but also increases the level of efficiency of the systems during work hours. Most importantly, it increases workplace efficiency by reducing employee turnover rates and absenteeism. Employees, in turn, have higher morale and work better. Telecommuting also gives a boost to the employee benefits package as this is considered as an additional facilitation that is aimed at accommodating the employees in a better manner. BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES Employees are bound to feel more committed and motivated if they are given the chance to take control of their work schedules and be able to invest their time and effort at an off-site workplace. Apart from basic motivation it helps employees save the amount that they spend on commute, meals etc. they are in a better position to ascertain a place where they can best put their efforts to use. This may differ from person to person as one employee might require a peaceful workplace away from the office interruption and the other might prefer working from home so that he/she is around their children and less worried about how they are holding up in their absence. Stress levels are greatly reduces and work productivity is much higher in such circumstances. PILOT PROGRAM Most of the employers who do not offer telecommuting option to their employees are hesitant to do so because they do not want to lose out on visible control of the employees that is possible in designated offices. They fear that lack of control on the employees will bring down the productivity levels and many employees are bound to abuse this power they are given over their work schedule. The most effective remedy for this problem is having a strong management structure in place that evaluates the completed goals on the basis of quality and quantity within the prescribed timeframe or deadline. Having a regular check on the program to evaluate its effectiveness can also play a major role in a continued enhancement of the program and rectification of loopholes if any. Some important considerations before designing a telecommuting program are as follows: Deciding which jobs can telecommute and their frequency: Not all jobs can be telecommuted as many require the personnel to be present on site to offer their expertise. The managers are in a better position to ascertain the scope of each job under them and whether it is a feasible option to let the respective employees work off-site. The frequency of permissible telecommuting is also dependent upon the job and a well balance schedule will incorporate the acceptable levels of telecommuting frequencies for each job. Data confidentiality and resource provision: By allowing employees to take their work home or a place of their liking the employers are entrusting them with the valuable knowledge and confidential data that belongs to the organization. By sharing computers that are off network the chances of contracting viruses that may damage the data are also high. Thus, the employers need to decide before hand of they will install the off-site computers and workstation themselves and the levels of supervisory power of these resources. Employers also need to decide on the kinds of data that are permissible to leave the site etc. by effectively drafting these limitations; employers can greatly reduce the risks that are associated with the off-site work. Policies and considerations: When deciding on the acceptable level of security and surveillance, the management has to be very vigilant about possible skepticism that may emerge as a result of employee unawareness of policies. This it is important to have all the policies down in black and white and have the employees agree upon them by signatures. The United States which is known as a land of opportunities has been open to the adoption of telecommuting and has about 2.6% of its total labor force working from home as their primary workplace (Globalworkplaceanalytics.com, 2014). These statistics depict the level of popularity of the practice and how it has been embraced by the workforce of one of the greatest nations of the world. By studying the case studies and identifying the best practice approach, employers can draft an effective telecommuting system that is mutually beneficial for employers and employees alike. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Increased levels of employee motivation are bound to have a positive impact on the overall organizational performance (Gould-Williams, 2003). The reduced employer costs make it a win win situation for both. The key to the implementation of an effective telecommuting system lies in the formulation of a design that pre-decides the necessities that reduce the risks for the employers. Employee training regarding making the best use of this facility and how they can boost their performance through effective time and resource management can play a major role in ensuring that the employees know how to make the best use of telecommuting. Managerial training to decide the kind of jobs that should be offered telecommuting and tailoring this facility to accommodate the flexibility of the organization and the employee is likely to bring out the best of this human resource innovation. REFERENCES: Brewer, A. (2000). Work design for flexible work scheduling: barriers and gender implications. Gender, Work \& Organization, 7(1), 33--44. Globalworkplaceanalytics.com,. (2014). Latest Telecommuting Statistics | Global Workplace Analytics. Retrieved from http://www.globalworkplaceanalytics.com/telecommuting-statistics Globalworkplaceanalytics.com,. (2014). Latest Telecommuting Statistics | Global Workplace Analytics. Retrieved from http://www.globalworkplaceanalytics.com/telecommuting-statistics Gould-Williams, J. (2003). The importance of HR practices and workplace trust in achieving superior performance: a study of public-sector organizations. International Journal Of Human Resource Management, 14(1), 28--54. Hr.ucmerced.edu,. (2014). Workplace Flexibility: Telecommuting | Human Resources. Retrieved 8 July 2014, from http://hr.ucmerced.edu/employment/workplace-flexibility/telecommuting Kurkland, N., & Bailey, D. (1999). The advantages and challenges of working here, there anywhere, and anytime. Organizational Dynamics, 28(2), 53--68. Read More