The price of gas and the time commuting to work continues to increase, so should telecom companies take a more serious look at telecommuting? Over the years, telecommuting or “work from home” in the telecommunication sector has been batted back and forth weighing the benefits vs. cost and only implemented in very, very select instances. The job description, corporate IT security structure and guidelines, broadband connectivity to the employee’s home, and individual employee performance are all factors contributing to a feasible telecommute opportunity. A quiet, professional work space, free from distractions, at the employee’s residence is a given. They have that at their company work location, don’t they?

The Job Description
In the telecom world, the field technicians are ruled out based on the blinding fact that they are field technicians and must perform their functions away from their home. But, the job functions for planners, design engineers, drafters, and records administrators all lend themselves to part-time if not full-time telecommuting. These employees’ work relies to a large extent on electronic equipment connected to the central databases within the corporation. Planners and design engineers, to do an effective job, must perform field visits but still have an opportunity to telecommute on a frequent basis. Drafters and records administrators are in databases or on the phone almost 100% of their time, so they are true prime candidates to work at home.

Corporate IT Security
A major concern of the employer, and rightfully so, is maintaining the integrity of their IT infrastructure. The IT systems and intellectual knowledge are significant assets to the company, and any breach by a hacker or virus can be extremely costly in terms of system repair as well as consumer confidence in protecting their confidential information. In today’s environment, corporations have developed sophisticated firewalls and systems to allow “outside” connection to their databases by employees and contractors, although the process to obtain this connection can be time-consuming and bureaucratic. There has to be an efficient way to simplify this process to accommodate growth in employee and contractor assets. But, the good news:
It can be done.

Broadband Connectivity
Today’s corporate systems, with their data-heavy applications, require a significant network pipe to carry the necessary numerical and graphic information necessary to perform planning, design, and administration functions. The good news is broadband speeds and coverage to the home is ever increasing. FTTN, FTTC, and FTTH technologies and deployments have provided an opportunity for more employees to qualify for work at home. Connectivity speeds must be validated to ensure the employee will have an efficient access to their applications with comparable throughput with their current company work location.

Individual Employee Performance
Should all employees have the opportunity to work at home if all 3 of the above prerequisites are met? I personally do not think so. Employees who have demonstrated a good work ethic, who are self-starters, and who have a sound performance record, should be afforded the option to telecommute. Those employees who have not demonstrated these attributes and require significant supervision should not be given the option.

But, there may be a time when the company decides to make the entire function a telecommute operation, and then it becomes a management challenge and not an employee qualification issue. Supervising part-time and full-time telecommuting employees takes additional managerial skill sets and knowledge.

Telecommuting and “Work at Home” in the telecom environment: good or bad? I think I would miss the personal interaction. What is your experience with telecommuting? Has it worked or not?

Byron retired as a senior manager of AT&T and now is an Independent Consultant in Telecom Operations. During the last 12 years of his career, he held the position of Vice President - Construction and Engineering for AT&T West. Reach Byron at byron-mc@att.net.

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