Teleworking Centers
Telework Centers Save Gas, Promote Satisfaction in Washington, D.C.
By going to a teleworking center in the Nation’s Capital, some workers are able to save gas, spend more time with their children and families, and get just as much done for the man. New telecommuting centers in Virginia and Maryland are a welcome development since commuting to Washington, D.C. has long taken hours out of federal and private industry workers’ days. The centers offer the perks of an office, such as copy machines and kitchenettes, but they are closer to employees’ homes and don’t require as much oh-so-expensive gas.
Gas Prices Drive More to Telework Option
An article in the July 27 Washington Post reported that registrations at the centers are climbing. Although gas prices have been targeted as the last straw, the time for teleworking centers is rife due to the fact that long, traffic-clogged commutes have been irritating area workers for years. Driving for hours and sitting indoors for eight to 10 hours takes a toll and the talented younger generation especially, born and bred on instant gratification, is much less likely to stand for the indignity of the urban commute and confinement. In addition, those who do not have the equipment to work from home, and who are usually the least able to afford gassing up the car, are the least likely to be able to continue commuting to key areas of employment like the Washington Metropolitan Area.
It benefits agencies and businesses to tend to their employees' needs by posting commuting centers in the suburbs. Many recognize that some employees might want to change jobs, even take a lower paying job, in order to not have to commute and spend the money and time that commuting requires.
Telecommuting Centers Provide a Work Environment
Many people work best when they are in a work environment where other people are similarly at work. Around the house, some people can’t discipline themselves to stay away from the television and are distracted by cooking, cleaning, or children. Many enjoy having other people to talk to in the halls and go out with for lunch or for after-work camaraderie.
Telecommuting centers look like a normal office. Some spaces are divided into walled-off rooms with doors and windows for executives. There may also be rows of gray-blue fabric cubicles for managers and administrators. Desks, computers, telephones, calendars, Post-it notes, and paper clips make center spaces an office-sweet-office. Telecommuting center managers work with the in-town boss to make it possible for workers to do anything they would do from the home office something they can do from the remote location.
Better than a Pay Raise
Many feel that they are giving or getting a pay raise by taking advantage of telecommuting centers or other flexible work arrangements. Although some may fear a slack in productivity by allowing remote work, evidence points to the success of telecommuting centers. While some employers still cling to the idea that telework allowances are a perk rather than a new and acceptable way of doing business others see the benefit. Only time will tell.
