The telecommuting perk has even lost its sizzle among major corporations with highly structured programs. He estimates that about a quarter of the company's 80,000 managers work from home at least one day a week, but that the proportion has not grown in recent years. Stinson blames the standstill on inadequate broadband, or high-speed, connections for home offices as well as employees' perpetual need to schmooze. Most job seekers keen to telecommute believe it comes down to trust. Silvia, the PR consultant, haggles for hours with potential employers that desperately want to hire her as long as she doesn't work from home.
Persistence pays off for some job hunters, however.
Sara Purcell recently gave up her dream of a book-publishing career because she couldn't find a telecommuter job. Pa. But even advocates like Purcell have seen the limitations. Two months ago she was asked to participate in a client meeting via conference call. Attempting to call in herself didn't work, either.