Working From Home As A Telecommuter

Anyone wanting to work from home but not quite ready to cut the apron strings that tie her or him to a corporate job and the resulting paycheck will be glad to know that a twilight option exists which combines the best of both worlds. Referred to as telecommuting, you are still properly employed by your corporate employer with your steady paycheck, health insurance coverage, and retirement options in place, but rather than being stuck on the turnpike during morning and afternoon rush hour, you will do your work from home.

With a high speed Internet connection, dedicated phone line, perhaps a webcam for the setup of teleconferencing, and software that will be useful in your endeavor, you will do the same work that you would normally do in the office – but without setting foot into your old office or leaving your home. Even as this appears to be the perfect setup for the would be entrepreneur who is just not quite ready to make that commitment, there are some distinct downsides to working from home as a telecommuter and you will be wise to consider them before approaching the boss for concessions in your work status that may lead to more conflict than they’re worth!

For example, keep in mind that even as you are a telecommuter working from home, you are still an employee of the company you work for and thus unlike an entrepreneur who works independently from home, you do not have the power to set your own hours. While there may be some tasks you can get done before the kids get up early in the morning, by and large you are required to keep regular working hours and only be a phone call or an email away from your boss’ computer.

Working from home as a telecommuter can also be a costly experience if you do not have the software and hardware required. If the company asks you to work from home, then the company will also see to it that you are set up with all the equipment needed to make it work. On the other hand, if you lobby the company for permission to work from home and your boss gives you permission to do so after you claimed that you had everything you needed, it will indeed be up to you to ensure that you have all the hardware and software in place to make it happen.

Perhaps not surprisingly, you will still be on the hook for deadlines and even meeting rush deadlines that might otherwise have been divvied up within the office. Thus, you will face the very real possibility of being on the losing end of the overtime equation and working more hours than you would actually do if you were still commuting to the office and thus your dream of spending more time with your family by working from home may actually be little more than a pipedream. Before working from home as a telecommuter, you will be wise to know exactly what you are signing up for!