We're still in the start-up stage, yet OSI is making money for new clients and demonstrating that work can be flexible and still be good business. I've found, as statistics confirm, that telecommuting workers are committed to professional standards, stick to the company, and lose less time to illness than average. Productivity is high in my experience, and that's reflected in surveys, which report 10 to 30 percent increases in employee effectiveness. New companies can moderate startup costs by hiring part-time workers for targeted tasks. An extra phone line and telecommunications services for a worker at home cost less than providing office space.
Entrepreneurs also can tap a hidden pool of potential employees.
Talented people who recently left professional positions have experience and training, a valued resource in a tight labor market. Outside a small management core, all our employees telecommute - and, on some days, management does too. As we approach the twenty-first century, business is tossed daily by technological innovation, customer trends, and changing government regulations. Businesses need new tools, like telecommuting, to grow their market share. Large companies may feel the administration of telecommuting employees could be a logistical challenge, while smaller businesses with less financial padding may hesitate to take on any new uncertainties.