Telecommuting – How can it Save Gas for Workers: Can it be a New Strategy?
Learn and understand how Telecommuting may help Employers and Employees stay together. Gas prices are now breaking the $4.00 per Gallon for Regular Grade everywhere in the United States and in some areas have already passed $4.50 per Gallon. All indications point to a continued rise with no relief for the foreseeable future. Employees are feeling the pressure from the financial burden.With the worldwide increase in the cost of gasoline and the average worker commuting more than twenty miles each way to work everyday is creating a cost which starting to become a financial hardship at a level not seen in almost thirty years. Companies need to look at new strategies to be able to keep their employees and help reduce the financial crush that driving is now creating. There are existing technologies which have evolved over the years which could help reduce the need for many employees to commute to work. Telecommuting is a concept which has existed since the 1960’s and have evolved to be a very effective alternative to commuting for many employees. Those employees who can work from a “home office” can provide the same amount of work and save at least $2,000 per year in gas costs.1 Companies who invest in employee home offices and remote access technologies for their employees would be able to offset the expense by downsizing their office space requirements and the associated energy costs. This downsizing in office space could also have a reduction in rent, lease, and/or mortgage costs and taxes. In the long term, capital costs can decrease as the physical company office space decreases. There are also side benefits to Telecommuting that can benefit employer and employee: 1. Commuting time to the office can be eliminated and the fatigue and stress that the commute has on the employee is eliminated. 2. Loss days due to bad weather can be eliminated. 3. Employee productivity can increase. 4. Employee loyalty can increase and employee turnover can decrease. 5. With the reduction of employee turnover, the cost of recruiting, hiring, training, and replacing employees will go down. The migration to Telecommuting has been resisted by many companies because of fear that employees would not be as productive and would take advantage of the remote supervision and under produce. The pressure of the costs of commuting and proper training on how to be more effective at Telecommuting should resolve these issues. With today’s technologies, remote employees’ productivity can be assessed and non-performers would easily be identified for remedial counseling. In the long run Telecommuting will be a proven benefit to most companies and employers, and employees. If enough companies adopt this method of work, gas consumption can decline and possibly the cost of gas can also eventually decline. |
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