The Coalition of the Swilling

Telecommuting is a great opportunity and a potential alleviator of the oil use problem, but it assumes a certain internal motivation and independence on the part of workers. Working from home is wonderful, but to do it successfully over the long term, you need a lot of self-discipline and the ability to shut off outside distractions. Not everyone has these abilities. The blurring between home and work could have some unattractive side results, such as the feeling that you can never really "get away" from work and have no excuse not to do it. Finally, telecommuting can be very isolating. The human contacts at the office are more valuable than people realize. I agree that telecommuting should become a more widely available option for people in suitable fields, but I am skeptical about its widespread potential.

Very true, NJ Sue. And I think that is why his 25% figure is realistic. Not everybody wants to, or is able to telecommute. Not sure how well I could do it 5 days a wek with Crusader II and Doodles ruuning around the house, but it would be nice to have the option, esp when I never actually face a client in my line of work. Heck, in the spring/summer/fall, plus the odd winter day, I go to work in shorts and a t-shirt, so I am halfway there, in a way, I suppose. Not sure how many extra gray hairs the Mrs would aquire from me being home more often, tho.....

{engages Kiss-Ass-A-Tron}

The human contacts at the office are more valuable than people realize.

Not at my office. The only human contacts I want are found at home.

{disengage}

But the larger question (safe for me to ask since the Mrs doesn't read blogs) is is the feeling mutual? Esp, considering the point was raised by the better half of the equation.

I'm not sure it's a question I want to think about...

You and I both, hence my remark about wearing shorts to work, since the pants are...well, you know what I mean.....

...missing?

Worn by someone other than us? Nah.........

Another negative aspect to tele-commuting: people will abuse it. I've seen people hired for a job in Washington, D.C. somehow "tele-commute" from their permanent, home-of-record residence in Colorado.

Another example, whereby an employee of my office in southeast washington somehow telecommuted from the San Juan Islands on the other side of the state. For almost 2 years.

But note that I am for telecommuting, wthin reason, because it is an effective tool.