It's likely most people who have entertained the idea of telecommuting picture themselves perched in front of their home PC, fresh coffee gurgling in the kitchen, no boss breathing down their neck or coworkers interrupting inspiration with idle chit-chat, and maybe even hearing their children playing in the other room. On the contrary, it takes a lot of discipline and the ability to turn in excellent work without coworkers in the next cubicle to bounce ideas off of.
Telecommuting is an idea whose time has come for the nonprofit sector, many say.
It not only benefits workers, it also makes sense, financially and logistically, for some employers. But the feasibility of the virtual office is rarely discussed in nonprofit circles and data on telecommuting's role in the philanthropic world is preliminary at best. Nonprofit Telecommuters Phil Bailey is the executive director for Earth Systems Inc. , a Charlottesville, Va.-based nonprofit that provides environmental education and information resources. Bailey has been telecommuting for the last six years and finds it more efficient than traveling to the office every day. It has allowed me the flexibility and freedom to do my job to the best of my ability.