There was a lot of buzz about Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer’s recent edict ending telecommuting, quickly followed by retail giant Best Buy.
But lost in the firestorm was the prospect that these executives may have had legitimate reasons for having their employees report to the office.
Having worked in a variety of businesses from a major national bank, to a small private business, to a fast-paced Silicon Valley software company, I’ve experienced several work environments and noticed that even the best individual or remote worker can be subject to the pitfalls of the stay-at-home life; distraction, loneliness, and the feeling that you have to solve every problem yourself.
For the telecommuter and the budding entrepreneur, a vibrant work environment can provide the structure and support that is needed for even the most independent workers to thrive. And since I’ve been spending time at the Dublin Entrepreneurial Center, I’ve seen such an environment first-hand.
Community
Humans are social animals, and even if you’re not working directly with other people at the office, being surrounded by the energy of a dynamic office environment and building interpersonal relationships can fill a void that exists in a remote, or work-at-home life.
People need the sense of community, collaboration, that comes from that interaction, and you can’t get this when you’re telecommuting or starting a business from your kitchen.
Even if it’s just a brief water-cooler talk about the Buckeyes’ game, that quick conversation can clear your mind and become the transition point between tasks.
Collaboration
Often, individual workers or independent small businesses face problems that are outside their core competency, and tackling these problems can stall progress on the main mission.
Being surrounded by a community of smart people gives the benefit of collective knowledge. When members of the business community are willing to share their experiences and be seen as a resource, the result is an informal network of mentors, with experts in virtually every discipline.
Facing your problems and helping others in a collaborative way also can lead to otherwise unforeseen partnerships and joint ventures.
This sort of collaboration is common with the business-oriented training, mentoring, topical programming and co-located work of an innovative collaborative work environment of a Jelly.
Communication
When the choice is between email, telephone, and an in-person conversation, I’ll always choose talking to someone face-to-face.
The transactional nature of electronic communication limits the conversation and is subject to misinterpretation. And it can take way too long to compose. While teleconferencing services have improved this, they are still less personal.
Working directly with someone can reduce mistakes, speed projects, and create an enduring relationship.
Connections
Being part of a vibrant community of like-minded business owners lets you know people and be known, expanding your network of suppliers and potential customers.
Do you need a graphic designer for a new company logo or business cards? A writer to compose your sales collateral? Or are you looking to provide such services for the small business community?
Odds are someone in the community will be able to hook you up, while creating these connections on your own from a home office would be a more daunting task.
It’s not all bad
This isn’t to say that all telecommuting or working at home is bad. There are certainly times when I’ve been more productive focusing on a planning or writing task by locking myself in my home office and letting my work phone go to voicemail for a few hours. And I’ve appreciated the flexibility that has allowed me to work from home while nursing a sick kid.
Maybe Yahoo and Best Buy took their edicts too far, but I think they did have a point.
So, what’s your take?
We’d love to hear your opinion:
- What type of work environment do you thrive in?
- Should Yahoo and Best Buy reverse, modify, or keep their bans on telecommuting?
