Full-time Telecommute

Scott Alexander

At present, I currently telecommute from my apartment in Dallas 3x/week (my office is only 11 miles away), on Tue, Wed and Fri. And now I've been given an opportunity to change it to full-time. It's part of a new company-wide initiative for a more "mobile" workforce and also to lower real estate costs.

I find the 3x/week extremely beneficial for my personal and sporting life, being able to get things done while I'm at home (ex, laundry, shopping, workouts, etc).





Potentially, it also enables me to work from anywhere in the country I'd like to too!

Any downsides?




I know I won't have as much "visibility" with regards to execs and folks that just wander around the hallways, but honestly I don't see too many of them nowadays any way.

Al Truscott

For two months now I've been retired. Even though I was only working 1-2 days a week for the past two years, I'm still trying to find out how to replace the incidental/accidental social interactions which come with being in a physical workplace. Not going in at all, or only infrequently for meetings, etc, might be a bigger gap in your life than you anticipate.

Darren Freeman

I currently work from home two or more times a week and enjoy it for all the same reason you mention.  Nothing like rolling out of the sack 15 minutes before a meeting and being in the office.    I would say the only down side is the social interaction in the office.  Most of my co-workers do the same thing so when I am in the office more then half are working from home, so there are even fewer people to talk or have lunch with in the office.   

Working from anywhere is great though!

jello4

Assuming you have the discipline to work while at home, which it sounds like you do. The only downsides I see is the lack of social interaction / team building with your co-workers and the ability to stand at someone's desk, or in their office, when you need something done that they have promised but have not actually delivered...

 

mtlarson

I have worked from my home office for the past 9 years. My social interaction comes when I travel, which I do almost weekly. On the downside, I don't know my team members by face only by voice. I also had to learn to step away from the office at the end of the day and to not be always available. It is a definite plus not to have to spend the time getting ready for work in the morning, I can swim at noon, get laundry done and NO Commute.

Scott Alexander

Honestly, I don't have a lot of social interaction even here at the office. Of my two co-workers here, along with our mutual manager, I don't do the same thing with them and see that I have even less in common with them personally. Two other (newer) employees in my same group, work out of other offices across the country and I've never even personally met.
As for other random co-workers here, most are from outsourced vendor companies and have even far less - including language barriers - than my teammates.

I have plenty of social interactions outside my office, including two local triathlon teams, drinking buddies/groups, etc. I don't think I'm lacking in social interactions, fortunately. I was worried about that though, as a friend of mine works full-time from home, with her dog, and she's become a bit of a social awkward recluse. I think I can prevent that with me though, I hope!

tim cronk

@Scott.... Sounds like a great opportunity to me.... Socializing is a concern but I believe its based on the individual.... After meeting you at IMMT I don't think you'll have any issues.... I've been concerned about my Mother who has been developing into that awkward recluse as she stays home with the dog while her husband works... One only needs to make sure they encounter real a few times a day as we progress in this new digital world, I feel as if I have been able to accomplish this being retired for almost 2 years now.... You can see the wave of the future and how human nature does change when you see how individuals act when they are talking thru a keyboard on a forum with an anonymous identity..... OF course EN is excluded and why we are all here! I say go for it!

Coach Rich

Posted By Scott Alexander on 17 Mar 2014 01:09 PM




I was worried about that though, as a friend of mine works full-time from home, with her dog, and she's become a bit of a social awkward recluse. 

Doode...I'm not a chick, though the rest of your description fits

 

tcattri

@Scott - I went through the same things 2 years ago. I live 10 minutes from my office and was telecommuting 2-3 days a week. My company needed additional office space and asked me to go full time. Since most of my work is via conference calls and my team is all across the US, it has not impacted my socialization at all. I do have routine face to face meetings I set up with mentors, executives, and friends to stay in the loop. Since I am so close to the office, I can shoot over there and have my meeting and shoot back home in 90 minutes flat. It's been working out great for me. I have more flexibility, more time with the family, it's a lot easier to schedule workouts, and still get all the work done. I used to be a person who never/rarely worked from home. Now, I am such a proponent of it and wonder why it took me so long to convert.

Jenn Edwards

Hey Scott,

 

I was actually part of a pilot at my organization where I worked full time from home for over a year.   Sounds a bit different than your situation as  I’m in leadership and had 15 direct reports at the time. As it turns out, I had no problem staying connected to the team – I  would simply reach out to them on occasion (2x a weekish?) to generate that “water cooler” interaction via IM or even via phone.   The harder part was my peers.  I was surprised at how many great ideas/conversation and “bidness” gets done in the halls and had to make a more focused effort to stay in touch.

 

My suggestion would be to simply reach out so folks don’t forget you’re there and you stay on the pulse of things.  Also, if there are meetings that are strategic in nature it may be best to go in – I wouldn’t phone those in. 

 

Clearly no worries about you being a recluse and yes, being home with the critters (if you have any) certainly felt sufficient for me.  When in doubt peruse the EN forums and you’ll feel nice ‘n’ connected!  Also, immediately generated TONS of extra time for training and I did love it for that reason.

 

Keep us posted and best of luck! 

Scott Alexander

Does anyone happen to know if there are tax benefits to full-time telecommuting? Anything I can claim on my returns?

Al Truscott

Google "home office income tax deduction" or something like that. For years, my wife operated a small photography business out of our house, and it was good for a few bucks of the tax hit every year. I'm not a tax accountant, of course, but I would think if you had a dedicated space and equipment for work (even if it is used less than full time for that purpose) in your crib, and you have a mortgage or rent, you should get some benefit. Employment expenses can be deducted, but the more you make, the more expenses you have to have to make it worthwhile.