Job requirements such as computers, short notice meetings, and access to reference material at the job location may be important factors influencing the decision to telecommute but were not perceived as significant barriers to telecommuting by State employees. Sixty-seven percent of State employees have or would be willing to purchase the equipment necessary to allow them to telecommute. The reason for this may be that telecommuters tend to be selected by management because they work well independently and can be trusted to perform well remote from the office environment. Eighty-nine percent of State telecommuters disagreed that they felt out of the loop when telecommuting. The employee survey found no significant difference in promotion rates between telecommuters and non-telecommuters.
Jobs are really just a collection of tasks.
Some tasks must be done at the office. Tasks which may be done away from the office are called telecommutable tasks. The amount of telecommuting an employee may do, depends on how many telecommutable tasks they have each week and whether the equipment required to accomplish those tasks is available. Keep in mind, it is not necessary to have a computer to telecommute. Many tasks, such as reading, thinking, planning or making phone calls, do not require computers and may be saved for a telecommuting day.