| Teleworking and virtual working is not necessarily the | | | | There are also personality types to take into |
| same thing. Generally, a teleworker is still an employee | | | | consideration. Not everyone is suited to the more |
| of a company working from a remote location-usually | | | | independent and solitary life of a virtual worker. "Is |
| a home office. As an employee, the company remains | | | | There a Virtual Worker Personality? Research says |
| responsible for all current staff-related costs as well as | | | | yes-but it's not the introverts who thrive working |
| additional costs to support the remote working location. | | | | remotely, as you might think" - BusinessWeek There's |
| As most already know, current employee costs | | | | also the revenue factor to consider; as any contractor |
| include, at the very least: salary; employee medical, | | | | knows, there are ups and downs that necessitate |
| dental and other benefits; training; as well as vacation | | | | careful financial management and planning. Then, there |
| & sick days. Additional costs attributed to telework can | | | | are those people who are more comfortable with the |
| include extra software and hardware costs, IT support, | | | | idea of completely separating their 'work life' from the |
| Internet and telephone expenses and other general | | | | business of living, e.g. not having a home office. For me, |
| office expenses. | | | | I wouldn't trade my sixty second carpet commute for |
| With a contracted virtual worker, overhead costs are | | | | anything. Even seemingly insurmountable obstacles like |
| reduced as the company is no longer responsible for | | | | financial stability and employee benefits can be |
| generally accepted employee overhead costs. And, | | | | overcome and eliminated with the right purpose and |
| most importantly to some clients, the virtual worker | | | | plan. |
| only invoices for time spent working. "It's a lot less | | | | In all my years as an employee, one of the main things |
| expensive than having resources on staff, sitting on | | | | I was never in charge of was my continued |
| the bench and waiting," as quoted in the New Jersey | | | | employment. For me, and many others, the freedom to |
| Business News article Tough times lead many into | | | | diversity revenue streams, create more business |
| virtual work world. | | | | when needed or scale back when necessary was a |
| Traditional salary costs incurred during slow times, sick | | | | force too strong to resist. As a contractor, I have a |
| vacation days as well as training are a thing of the | | | | greater collaborative relationship with my clients than |
| past. Companies wanting to integrate a virtual | | | | ever experienced in traditional corporate structures. |
| workforce can be helped through the process of | | | | For companies, the main benefits for integrating a |
| redefining job descriptions, typically used by on-site and | | | | virtual workforce are: |
| or teleworkers, into task-oriented descriptions. This is | | | | · Cost effective |
| just part of the process we use to help improve | | | | · Improves worker efficiency |
| corporate efficiency, increase flexibility and save | | | | · Flexibility |
| money through the use of virtual workers. | | | | · Reduces corporate carbon footprint |
| Now, before I get bombarded with emails about being | | | | · Retain Baby Boomer expertise |
| 'anti-employee' -- that is absolutely not the case. I was | | | | We recommend that companies proceed carefully |
| an employee before an entrepreneur and I still believe | | | | when considering transitioning employees to virtual |
| there are areas where employees are the better or | | | | workers. A thorough analysis of internal policies, |
| most logical choice. Each scenario must be evaluated | | | | procedures and resources will help identify virtual |
| individually to assess the suitability for a virtual | | | | workforce opportunities. Established virtual workers |
| workforce. Jobs involving construction, guest or | | | | are entrepreneurs at heart; as business owners |
| customer services as well as some white collar | | | | themselves, they already have an understanding of |
| industries do require on-site employees to handle the | | | | expectations as contractors. |
| job. | | | | |