Telecommuting is a viable employment option for people with disabilities as much as, if not more than, for others. The following document describes a public-private partnership to promote telecommuting opportunities for employers and employees. Jamal Mazrui National Council on Disability Email: 74444.1076@compuserve.com ---------- TELECOMMUTE AMERICA Discover a New Workplace An Effective Solution to Critical Workplace Issues Workplace challenges today affect all of us -- employers and employees alike. These challenges include increasing productivity, managing ever- escalating overhead costs, enhancing our environment, saving energy, and balancing work and family life. Successfully addressing these challenges points to the need for new, creative ways to work and manage our businesses. Fortunately, one alternative work arrangement has proven to be profitable for businesses, motivational for employees and a countermeasure for air pollution and traffic congestion. That work alternative is telecommuting. More than eight million Americans are estimated to telecommute from home, while many more telecommute from satellite offices or telecommuting centers. It is a growing trend with potential benefits for everyone. Telecommute America is an initiative undertaken by several public and private organizations to educate the public about telecommuting and its benefits, and to serve as a resource for those who are interested in establishing telecommuting programs. The founding members are: - Association for Commuter Transportation - AT&T - U.S. Department of Commerce - U.S. Department of Transportation - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - U.S. General Services Administration Telecommute America is a national public awareness and education effort that features telecommuting workshops, hosts telecommuting fairs, and initiated the first-ever national Telecommute America Week in October of 1995. Our mission is to advance the nation's understanding and scope of telecommuting in all of its various forms: virtual office, work-at-home, satellite office to telework centers, and communicate the many potential benefits of telecommuting. What Employers and Employees Are Thinking Several recent surveys conducted by Telecommute America indicate that both employers and employees see a need for telecommuting and believe that it is a financially beneficial workplace alternative. Listed below are some highlights of two 1995 Telecommute America surveys, a telephone survey of 200 executives of Fortune 1000 companies and an online Internet and telephone dial-in survey of telecommuters and other employees. What We Learned From Employers - The biggest advantages of telecommuting from an employers perspective are: better employee morale (79%) reduced costs -- office space (64%), reduced stress among employees (63%) and retaining valuable employees (63%). - The top four job titles that senior executives believe would benefit from telecommuting include: information specialists, sales representatives, programmers, and market research analysts. - More than one-half (57%) of the Fortune 1000 companies who are considering telecommuting, indicate that they expect to initiate programs within the next three years. - Of the Fortune 1000 managers who have a telecommuting policy in place, almost all (92%) believe it is advantageous to the company. Nearly half (43%) believe it very advantageous. - Of the executives with telecommuting policies currently in place, more than 70% expect that more employees will telecommute in the future. What We Learned From Employees - More than three-quarters of current telecommuters say they are more productive at home for one primary reason: fewer interruptions. - Some 90% of current telecommuters say that telecommuting has helped them balance their work and private life. - Most employees polled say they are afraid to ask their employers permission to telecommute. The number one reason was fear that they will be viewed as less serious or less committed workers. Knocking Down Barriers Since the benefits of telecommuting are so valuable, it is worth the effort to break down the prevalent myths and misconceptions about telecommuting. Telecommute America surveys uncovered two of the top concerns that senior managers have about telecommuting: a reduced level of control and supervision; and potential erosion of the work team concept. The only way to overcome these perceived obstacles is through education. American business is changing. The dynamics of the workplace are changing. Executives who manage by results instead of by observation can identify employees with personal skills and job requirements that suit telecommuting. To run efficiently, effectively and profitably, today's organizations must be prepared for the workplace of tomorrow. This means taking advantage of the technology offered to us -- personal computers, modems, and all aspects of the National Information Infrastructure (The Internet, World Wide Web, etc.). But perhaps most appealing to the nations employers, telecommuting can improve productivity and save money on real estate and associated costs. Getting Started We want to help you join the ranks of telecommuters or help you lead your organization in developing a telecommuting policy. This brochure will provide you with lots of information about telecommuting and specific strategies for getting started. Designing a New Workplace In most cases the traditional workplace was a single location everyone commuted to and worked from during a predetermined schedule. Today, this definition is rapidly expanding to encompass growing usage of many alternative workplace concepts. Telecommute America is both a celebration of alternative ways to work and an opportunity to gain the experience and education necessary to encourage acceptance and utilization of alternative work arrangements. All of the exciting new workplace definitions share three characteristics: - Location is not critical to performing your job. - Computing and telecommunications technologies can replace commuting to a centralized workplace. - You, your organization and the community benefit: consider the increased capital savings, productivity and efficiency, schedule flexibility, better work/personal life balance, benefits to the environment, energy savings and competitive advantages associated with telecommuting. Telecommuting is an encompassing concept that has emerged as an umbrella term referring to the wide range of alternative officing arrangements. The term is often used to symbolize the substitution of computing and telecommunications technology for the traditional automobile or bus commute. Its a marriage of contemporary workstyles with innovative technologies. Typically, telecommuters spend only part of each week working in the traditional office; they spend the rest of the week performing job duties in their homes or in telecommuting centers (telework centers) near their homes. According to New York-based research firm Find/SVP, telecommuters are the fastest growing segment of the work-at-home movement. Between 1993 and 1994, Find/SVP survey results showed a 20% increase in the number of telecommuters. There are approximately eight million telecommuters nationwide. Of these, 6.6 million are corporate telecommuters with the remainder defined as contract workers who work full-time from a home-based office. Federal, state and local governments are supporting home-based and other telecommuting initiatives. California's Department of Transportation (CalTrans), for example, has funded the establishment and evaluation of 12 additional telework centers statewide. The U.S. General Services Administration is also establishing multipurpose telework centers in partnership with California and Washington state. In fact, the federal government is implementing a National Telecommuting Initiative sponsored by the President's Management Council that will cover 30 metropolitan areas and help to increase the number of federal telecommuters to 60,000 by 1998. In addition to these efforts, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Transportation Partners works with municipalities, business people and citizens to provide commuting alternatives and thereby reduce pollution. New Workplace Options Telecommuting/Telework Centers - Telecommuting centers feature equipment and space designed for use on a shared basis. Employees who work at these centers are those for whom the center locations are more convenient than a centralized office locations. The number of telework centers is also growing. Satellite Offices - These are offices typically operated by and for a single employer. Nationwide, many companies are finding it makes sense to open satellite offices to reduce commute times for employees and help alleviate city traffic-and-parking congestion problems. Hoteling - This is an office operation where space is designed for use on a shared, as-needed (drop-in) basis. Employees literally check in and out of this office space and have access to all the standard business tools and technologies necessary to do business. Virtual/Mobile Office - These workers are equipped with the tools, technology and skills to perform job duties from wherever the person needs to be -- home, office, hotel, car, customer's location, etc. Mobile workers may have a traditional office base, but not necessarily an individual assigned office. Teleservices - Availability of teleservices is growing based on socio- community economic benefits and the potential of improved customer service. A business may find that it makes sense to deploy remote call-center representatives to take calls routed calls from a home-based office. Teleservices can be utilized to improve access to information and government services in inner cities and rural areas by providing information via the telephone, video and computer links establishing mobile service programs or satellite offices closer to people who use them. New Ground -- Give It A Try Individual Participation If you are already enjoying some type of telecommuting arrangement, congratulations. If you're looking to trial telecommuting, start by requesting approval from your supervisor to try working from home or a telework center in your area. As a first step to approval, we suggest writing a memo that includes the following: - Outline the business, personal and professional benefits you expect to achieve by telecommuting. - Describe the new workplace option you'd like to discover and explain why. - Include example and pertinent information in this brochure. - Volunteer to write a summary of your experiences that can be shared with others in your workplace. - Suggest ordering and reviewing the Telecommute America Guidebook for implementation instructions, and you and/or your supervisor attend a Telecommute America Educational Seminar. Once you have received approval to participate, the following checklist provides some tips for planning ahead to get the most out of your telecommuting experience. - Determine the business tools you require to work productively away from your traditional office setting. - Plan to work on tasks that can be accomplished using those resources. - If necessary, and approved by your supervisor, locate office services near you for faxing, copying and other services that you may require. - Decide how you will stay in contact with co-workers, customers, clients and the main office (using a combination of telephone, fax, electronic mail, computer/modem links, voice messaging, etc.) - Investigate and plan how you will handle your messaging needs. - Make sure that your coworkers and customers know how to reach you. - Follow up with your supervisor to suggest setting up a pilot program within your organization. Group and Organizational Participation If you're interested in helping to promote telecommuting efforts within your company, advanced planning and good communications will be required to spearhead the efforts. As a first step, the following actions should be taken: - Obtain support from the top of your group or company. - Develop a policy for participation. - Suggest steps for approval of potential participants. - Devise an implementation committee and process. - Package and distribute information provided by Telecommute America. - Prepare and distribute background reference material. - Plan at least one orientation/training meeting prior to implementation. - Create a participation recruitment goal, evaluation and plan, then track the results. - Share results at all levels within the group or company. With a plan in place and top-level support, take the next step and establish your telecommuting implementation committee. Its a good idea to recruit from a variety of expertise such as human resources, training, information systems, telecommunications and data services, employee communications or public relations, financial management, labor relations, legal counsel and transportation coordinators. You are now ready to implement the plan and maintain the overall support structure using the following checklist: - Provide a consistent vision. - Communicate logistics and support material. - Emphasize the benefits of telecommuting. - Guide the selection of participants by developing a criteria checklist. - Manage all aspects of telecommuting implementation. - Drive acceptance of telecommuting and related workplace concepts. - Ensure that participation has specific rewards. Entrepreneur and Home-based Business Participation If you're already a home-based business owner, chances are you're already taking advantage of today's most advanced technology and business communication tools. If so, you are in a unique position to educate friends, clients, customers or professional affiliates abut workplace alternatives like telecommuting. If you are not as technologically sophisticated as you would like to be and feel you could better service your clients and customers by learning more about advanced technologies; or, if you would like to learn more about setting up a virtual office and hiring other work-at-home employees, the resources listed in the back of this booklet could serve as a valuable resource for you. New Workplace Basics You're interested in starting a telecommuting program within your organization. You'd like to take advantage of today's mobile technology to free yourself from the confines of the traditional office. You've dreamed of starting a home-based business and want to learn the basics of setting up a home office. Or, you just want to discover today's workplace options. Wherever your journey of discovery takes you, there are a few basics to consider. For Consideration - Assess your job and personality for compatibility with a telework arrangement. Most successful telecommuters are self-motivated, well- organized and conscientious workers. New workplace situations tend to require less daily face-to-face interaction, rely on information management and are not suitable for every job or person. - Discuss your plan to work at home with other household members. Would they object to your using part of the home as an office? - Set firm boundaries on distractions from relatives and friends. Make sure they understand that you are working, even if you are at home. - Keep existing child and elder care arrangements in place. Telecommuting or working from a home-based office are not substitutes for child or elder care. - Arrange access to all the business tools you would normally use in a traditional office setting. If you work on Local, or Wide Area Networked computing applications or a central computing system, will you be able to establish remote communication links? If not, could you still work productively from home one or two days a week without access to the same tools? - Procure the right equipment. Are you willing to provide your own equipment in the event you employer does not provide assistance in equipping an office? - Compose a written agreement with your supervisor as to the nature of your job, what hours you will be working, and the results by which you'll be measured. This helps eliminate the opportunity for communication breakdown and telecommuting failure. Selecting and Using Telecommuting Centers Many of the considerations for home-based telecommuters apply to center- based telecommuters. Carefully review the home-based telecommuter considerations. - Visit the intended center site and see if it has adequate transportation access, parking and location convenience (significantly nearer to you than your main office); easy to get to; near places of business, shops, stores, etc. for your personal needs (lighting, noise, ventilation, privacy, etc.) Determine any other work-related needs. - Inquire about the current and future pricing, billing and contracting(leasing) information. Is it consistent with your organizations budget? Is it reasonably cost effective? - Finally, carefully examine and consider the telecommunications capability and its adequacy for your job. Setting Up a Safe Home Office The following information is provided to assist you in designing, establishing and/or adjusting your home workspace for safety, comfort and efficiency. Equipment Needs Home-based telecommuters usually require some equipment to work on their own and to communicate with others. Often, an employer will provide this equipment, but you may prefer -- or be required -- to use your own. Either way, you'll want to assess your needs. Typical home-office setups include:- Computer- Modem- Fax- Printer- Dedicated phone line(s)- Software Remember, if you have a modem and/or work at the office as well as at home, you can often avoid the necessity for a printer or fax machine. You can simply send the document over the modem, or you can save it to a disk and take the disk into the office for printing and duplication. If you use your own equipment, be sure to check with your employer as to who is responsible for repairs if you encounter a problem while working. Furniture, Lighting and Location The height of your desk or table should be comfortable for computer work, writing or reading. Conventional desks are usually 29 inches high. The recommended height for a computing surface is approximately 26 inches. The chair is probably the most important piece of furniture in your workstation. The seat should be adjustable and the height (measured from the floor) of the top surface of the seat should be 15 to 21 inches. The backrest should be adjustable (height and angle) and should provide support for the lower back. Armrests should be substantial, enough to provide support, but not so large as to be in the way. Try to arrange your office furnishing for maximum ergonomic comfort: - You should be able to sit up straight, keeping your neck as nearly vertical as comfortable. Improper neck, arm, and wrist positioning are typical causes for strains, other injuries and discomfort. - Position your computer screen at arms length from your face and slightly below eye level. - Position your keyboard so that you can keep your arms and wrists straight. Lighting can affect comfort, visibility and performance. Whether you're using natural daylight or artificial lighting, it should be directed toward the side or behind your line of vision, not in front or above it. Northern daylight is considered optimal for operating a computer. Try to find a location for your home office that is out of the normal activity areas to reduce noise. Its ideal to dedicate a room where the door can be closed and household members won't interfere with your work tools. Security and safety concerns also play a role in the location of your office. Electrical Safety There are numerous safety considerations involved in the use of electrically powered equipment and appliances. Grounding: Generally most homes/buildings are provided with three-wire grounded electrical outlets. These should be checked by a qualified electrician for correct wiring and adequacy of grounds for both your safety and that of your equipment. It is recommended that you use a surge protector for all computer equipment. Electrical Cords: Appliance and equipment cords should be checked on a regular basis for proper connection to the device, frayed or damaged insulation, defective plugs and exposed wires. The use of extension cords in the workplace should be limited and closely controlled. Try rearranging the furniture or adding additional electrical outlets before using extension cords. When they are used, they should be of the same or larger wire size as the cord being extended and have a compatible connector plug. If an adapter is needed to connect the device to an extension cord, the wrong extension cord is being used. Electrical Outlets: A major cause of fire is overloaded electrical circuits. This usually occurs through the use of multiple outlet adapters or extension cords with a multiple outlet connector. Limit the number of devices connected to any outlet to the number of receptacles provided by the outlet. If additional outlets are needed, they should be properly installed by a qualified electrician. Storage and Security To protect yourself from injury when lifting files or office supplies, limit storage height to a minimum of 18 inches. Store heavy items on lower shelves and have a ladder or approved step stool available so you can safely reach high places within your storage area. Also, if you are dealing with proprietary information and files, your management may require you to have locking drawers and/or security passwords on computers, voice mailboxes, fire-proof files, etc. Resources There are many new workplace resources to assist your participation in telework. The resource list below includes both retail and free information sources. In general, there is a cost associated with many of the books, periodicals, publications, associations memberships and other resources not available via the Internet or online Bulletin Board Systems (BBS). Books Home Sweet Office. Jeff Meade. Peterson's (Princeton, N.J., 1993). Discusses the costs and benefits of working at home, how to propose and implement telecommuting programs and insights for organizations that offer telecommuting. Making Telecommuting Happen. Jack Nilles. Van Nostrom & Reinhold (New York, N.Y., 1994). This book provides information gathered from more than 20 years experience in the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of telecommuting programs around the world. Organizing Your Home Office For Success. Lisa Kanarek. Plume. (New Jersey,1993). 800 526-0275 Telecommuting: How to Make It Work for You and Your Company. Gil Gordon and Marcia M. Kelley. Prentice-Hall (Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 1986). Provides advice to managers who supervise telecommuters. Teleworking Explained. M. Gray, N. Hodson and G. Gordon. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. (New York, N.Y., 1993). This comprehensive book provides advice on all aspects of telecommuting. The AT&T Telecommuting Connection(TM) Kit. The kit consists of an informative videotape and handbook covering the environmental, work/personal life and technological forces behind telecommuting. The handbook includes information on how to implement a telecommuting program, a sample telecommuting policy, telecommuters agreement, telecommuter and supervisor surveys. 800-344-2133 The MITE Telecommuting Implementing Manual. A user-friendly manual to help organizations implement telecommuting arrangements. MITE, 1900 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis, MN. 55404-5400 The Telecommuters Handbook. Debra Shepp. McGraw Hill (New York, N.Y., 1995). A research guide to telecommuting that includes experiences from companies with telecommuting programs as well as individual telecommuters. The Work-At-Home Handbook. Lynie Arden, 1994. Careers Center, 303-447- 1087 Working From Home. Paul and Sarah Edwards. Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putman (Connecticut, 1993). 800-788-6262 Associations American Telecommuting Association. Membership is open to any individual or organization involved in any aspect of telecommuting. 800-ATA-4-YOU Association for Part-time Professionals. Members include telecommuters, part-time entrepreneurs and corporate employees working flexible hours. 703-734-7975 Association for Commuter Transportation. Dedicated to serving the commuter- transportation industry and professionals with information meeting the needs of its corporate and individual members. 202-393-3497 Home Office Association of America. A networking association that offers group health insurance, access to lobbying groups, discounted regional seminar fees and discounts on a variety of home-office merchandise. 212- 980-4622 National Association for Cottage Industry. With 16,000 members, this association offers a wide variety of resources for entrepreneurs and small business. 312-472-8116 National Association for the Self-Employed. NASE has approximately 300,000 members, a strong lobbying force in Washington D.C., and a toll-free helpline with advice on everything from tax deductions to moving your business out of the home. 800-232-6273 National Home Office Association. Offers information and provides a legislative lobbying voice for home-office workers in Washington D.C. 800- 664-6262 International Telework Association. An international non-profit organization which provides members with telecommuting information, research, trends and networking opportunities. 202-547-6157 The Conference Board, Inc. Focus groups, research and the latest in workplace trends and issues. Conference Board Associate membership information is available by calling 212-759-0900 Publications and Periodicals Business Use of Your Home -- IRS publication 3587. This reference publication covers home-office deductions and tax law applicable to using part of your home for business purposes. To obtain a copy, call the IRS at 800-829-1040 Home Office Computing. A publication reporting on technology, marketing and applications issues for consumers with home-based offices. 411 Lafayette St. New York, NY 10003. 800 288-7812 Mobile Office. A publication by Cowles Business Media providing portable computing and wireless communications for professionals who use mobile information technology to solve real world business problems. 800 274-1218 National Initiative Action Plan. The plan, from the U.S. Department of Transportation, is both a how-to guide and background piece on telecommuting. U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of the Secretary, P-35, 400 7th Street SW, Room 10305, Washington, DC 20590. PowerSource. A publication by AT&T Home Business Resources that covers management, technical and financial information for home-based business owners. 800-383-6164, ext. 3320 Tele Trends. The official newsletter of the International Telework Association. 202-547-6157 Telcommuting Review. The monthly newsletter on telecommuting. Gil Gordon & Associates, 10 Donner Court, Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852 Work-Family Roundtable. A quarterly newsletter on economic, social and technological impacts on the worker and workplace. The Conference Board, Inc., 845 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022-6601 Work Times. A quarterly newsletter on national and international work issues and projects in alternative scheduling. New Ways To Work, 785 Market Street 950, San Francisco, CA 94102 Internet and Electronic Information Sources EPA's Transportation Partners TransAct. The Transportation Action Network (TransAct) is a new Internet resource providing technical assistance, online conferencing, and opportunities to download and post information. It also provides information on how EPA's Transportation Partners program is encouraging economically and environmentally sound applications of telecommuting and other communications technologies. TransAct is operated by the Surface Transportation Policy Project, (202) 939-3470. On the World Wide Web, http://www.transact.org or, by ftp or Telnet, transact.org. If you're not on the Internet, dial 1-800-787-7406 or in the Washington, DC area, dial (202) 319-1861. EPA's Transportation Partners also features the National Transportation and Environment Hotline with information about the programs and related events. (202) 260-6830. Small Business Administration Home Page. This World Wide Web home page provides comprehensive information on SBA resources. Contact information can be found on either a national or state basis. SBA files are available by anonymous File Transfer Protocol (FTP) through a browser which supports file transfer or addresses provided for direct FTP. The URL is http://www.sbaonline.sba gov/ Small Business Advancement National Center. An electronic research, training, consulting and information can be funded by the U.S. Congress, the Small Business Administration, the University of Central Arkansas and various private entities. The URL is http://wwwsbanet.uca.edu/ Telecommute America Home Page. In-depth program details, downloadable how- to files including a copy of this brochure, Telecommute America Seminar information, an on-line survey for Telecommute America participants, a place to post information about Telecommute participation and links to other telecommuting resources available on the Internet. You'll also find a listing of program sponsors, co-sponsors and endorsers. This page supports all browsers and is located at URL http://www.att.com/Telecommute_America The Telecommuting Archive. This Electronic Frontier Foundation World Wide Web page supports most browsers and provides links to allow users to download the Smart Valley Telecommuting Guide, as well as various government documents related to telecommuting and the National information infrastructure. The URL is http://www.eff.org:80/pub/EFF/Policy/OP/ Telecommuting? TeleConX. An electronic communications and information system developed, operated and maintained by the GSA Cooperative Administrative Support Program. This BBS supports users with private e-mail, public discussion forums, teleconferences, file libraries, polls and questionnaires. TeleConX is open to anyone interested in home-based and alternative worksite service delivery cooperatives. Direct modem access by dialing 202 501-7741 or telnet to Fedworld.gov to the Fedworld BBS and select the TeleConX gateway (No.56) Government Documents Energy Emissions and The Social Consequences of Telecommuting. U.S. Department of Energy: Office of Policy, Planning and Program Evaluation. 202 586-4456 Managing End User Computing for Users with Disabilities. U.S. General Services Administration: Clearinghouse on Computer accommodation. 202 501- 4906 Promoting Telecommuting: An Application of the NII and In the Information Infrastructure: Reaching Society's Goals. U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology. 301 975-4529 The Federal Flexible Workplace Pilot Project Work-at-Home Component and Interim Report: Federal Intragency Telecommuting Centers. U.S. General Services Administration, Office of Workplace Initiatives, Washington D.C. 20405. These documents are available on the TeleConX BBS in the reports file library, 202 501-7741 (n81 modem parameter setting). Modem speeds up to 14,400 bps are supported. Download either a self-extracting WordPerfect 6.0 file (IR_FITC.EXE), or an ASCII format file (IR_FITC.TXT). Transportation Implications of Telecommuting. U.S. Department of Transportation. 202 366-5403 If you or your company would like more information on becoming a Telecommute America co-sponsor or endorser, write to Telecommute America, P.O. Box 9536, Scottsdale, AZ 85252-9536 - Innovative technology and creative applications are erasing traditional workplace boundaries and enhancing peoples lives at home, at work and on the go, AT&T has been engaged in flexible work arrangements since the 1980s. Some 47,000 of our managers currently practice some form of telework. - Robert E. Allen, Chairman and CEO, AT&T - Telecommuting will help America get the job done cleaner, cheaper, and smarter -- cleaner for the environment, cheaper for the taxpayer and business, and smarter for our future. - Carol M. Browner, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - As many as 80% of all employers will have to access remote work in order to compete in world markets by the mid to late 1990s. - The Yankee Group - Department of Commerce officials say many U.S. businesses are discovering that alternative work arrangements -- such as telecommuting -- can be a valuable tool for competing in today's domestic and global marketplaces. - U.S. Department of Commerce Telecommuting is one of the fastest growing trip-reduction strategies being adopted by private and public employers in their efforts to help alleviate traffic congestion and reduce air pollution. Many businesses are experiencing the benefits associated with telework options, including increased productivity, reduced costs and improved morale. - Dee Angell, President, Association for Commuter Transportation - The key shift will be to support the varied ways in which people actually work, emphasizing performance rather than being in the office every day. - Franklin Becker, Organizational Psychologist, Cornell University - Our mission is to provide quality work environments for Federal workers. Employees who use telework centers and their supervisors see real improvements in productivity and the opportunity to improve customer service. - Roger Johnson, Administrator, U.S. General Services Administration Telecommuter Personal Characteristic Checklist The following are sample selection criteria to assist in determining a workers compatibility with telecommuting or related new workplace situation. - Positive attitude toward telecommuting - Self-motivated- Results motivated - Strong communication skills - Requires minimal supervision - Flexible and well organized - Strong job knowledge and understanding organizations objectives - Focused on job goals and objectives - Can establish priorities and manage time well - Successful in current and prior positions - Home environment conducive to telecommuting Job Requirement Checklist Many of today's information-based job categories are compatible with one or more new workplace options in general, the type of job performed should fit the following criteria: - Job has tasks suited for home-based telework center mobile or other remote work. - Job does not rely exclusively on resources accessible at the centralized work location or can access those resources from a remote location. - Job has clearly defined work objectives. - Face-to-face contacts can be scheduled in advance. FOUNDING MEMBERS ACT - The Association for Commuter Transportation AT&T United States of America Department of Commerce United States of America Department of Transportation United States Environment Protection Agency General Services Administration SPONSORS Mobile Office Steelcase Working Mother ENDORSERS ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND FAMILIES AND WORK INSTITUTE INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF DISTRIBUTED WORK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS NEW WAYS TO WORK PUBLIC TECHNOLOGY, INC. RENEW AMERICA TELECOMMUTING ADVISORY COUNCIL Telecommute America Post Office Box 9536 Scottsdale, AZ 85252-9536 ---------- End of Document .