Working away from the office is also tricky for employees whose first priority is clawing up the corporate ladder, notes Gibson. If that's the case, then you shouldn't telecommute, advises Gibson. Managers must manage better Managers, often a roadblock to working at home, have to be at least neutral about the idea if it's going to work. You want people who are at least solid, average managers, if not more-so. The key for managers is managing by results, say telecommuting experts and resources.
Managers have to have a sense of how long it takes people to accomplish a certain task.
They also have to stop managing by observation, which includes eyeballing employees to make sure they're actually working. Telecommuting takes all that away. And, according to some managers with whom Gibson has worked, it creates better managers. Jobs that do well in telecommuting Jobs that don't require much unplanned face time make good telecommuting gigs, as do projects with well-defined beginnings, ends, and benchmarks. Recipes for success Creating structure and checking in with the staff and the supervisor are two key ingredients for success.