ave a tremendous amount of space, and as a result, money for the employer (The Telecommuter 2).Increase in Productivity Most employers report that their employees get more work done outside of the office environment (McKinney 1). According to the 1999 Telework America National Survey done by Joann H. Pratt Associates, companies may gain on an average $1,850 per teleworker because of increased productivity (The Telecommuter 3). There are several possible reasons for this increase, including fewer interruptions, fewer sick days, and no travel time to get to and from work (Moskowitz “Cash” 1).No OSHA RegulationsUntil recently, companies were required to make sure that telecommuters’ homes met the Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements of all workplaces. However, OSHA has recently changed its stance on the issue and its policy now states “OSHA will not conduct inspections of employees’ home offices. OSHA will not hold employers liable for employees’ home offices, and does not expect employers to inspect the home offices of their employees. If OSHA receives a complaint about a home office, the complainant will be advised of OSHA’s policy….but will not follow-up with the employer or employee” (OSHA Directives 5). This is a benefit to employers because it eliminates the need for them to inspect and correct employee workstations, which costs them time and energy.Disadvantages for EmployersThe idea of telecommuting sounds so simple, but it is not perfect. There are a few disadvantages of companies having employees work away from offices, including new expenses, difficult transfer of information, security of company information, and availability of the employee.New ExpensesThe companies that allow employees to telecommute may need to provide the employee with the materials needed to work from home. First of all, they need to be in contact with the company at all ti...
