Federal employees in the Washington area who spend one and a half days per week at a telecommuting center are saving an average of 1,600 hours of commuting time per year, Master says. The resulting decrease in car emissions and energy consumption also benefits the environment. Research shows that telecommuting improves employee productivity, according to telecommuting experts. The flexibility telecommuters have to work outside standard business hours helps many of them manage their jobs better. Telecommuting and mobile work arrangements can also improve customer service, by distributing employees throughout the communities they are serving.
Agencies also stand to reduce their facility costs by allowing employees to work remotely.
Up to 90 percent of telecommuters don't need any other equipment, Nilles says. Many employees who already own equipment at home are willing to use it for their work because of the advantages telecommuting offers them on a personal level. Alternatively, agencies may have excess equipment to loan to telecommuters. In either case, the employer incurs minimal expenses, if any. Some employers give telecommuters laptop computers to carry between the office and a remote workplace.