Telecommuting 1 Effects of Power and Identity on Common Uses, Benefits and Disadvantages of Telecommuting

With the use of telecommuting increasing rapidly, studies have shown various effects on the workplace. Organizations and individuals are applying telecommuting in new areas, discovering its numerous advantages and pitfalls and finding solutions to the myriad of problems that can invariably arise. The majority of research regarding telecommuting focuses on its effects on productivity levels and organizational communication. Telecommuters have been praised as being more productive than their average inter-office counterparts. As a result, organizations employing telecommuters have seen notable increases in overall productivity. Unfortunately, even with its many advantages, the distance inherent in telecommuting can cause communication gaps as well as stress within any organization. In addition, many traditional managers do not feel comfortable supervising telecommuters because they cannot monitor their work as closely as their traditional inter-office coworkers. Finally, the changes in power and identity within organizations often cause dissonance for both managers and telecommuters. This dissonance can overshadow the many benefits of telecommuting and make telecommuting a poor work option.