| Advances in telecommunication and IP technologies | | | | department. The convenience of a portable laptop also |
| has enabled millions of Americans to free themselves | | | | makes for easy maintenance, repair or replacement if |
| from the office environment and become what is now | | | | necessary. |
| commonly known as "telecommuters". | | | | 3. Decide on the Internet connection. The essence of |
| The 1990s saw a rise in the popularity of | | | | telecommuting involves the transfer of information |
| telecommuting and there seems to be no end in sight. | | | | from one location to another. Since telecommuting |
| The International Telework Association and Council | | | | requires transfer of both data and voice, a high-speed |
| predicts that a full one third of the workforce- up to 50 | | | | Internet connection in the home is required - a dial-up |
| million workers-will telecommute full or part-time by the | | | | connection simply won't cut it. Not only is dial-up |
| end of 2006. | | | | painfully slow for even the most simple tasks, it will |
| The obvious benefits of increased flexibility and less | | | | never be able to handle voice and data due to the low |
| travel time for workers makes telecommuting an | | | | bandwidth and high latency. Implement the fastest |
| attractive choice for many. But employees are not the | | | | Internet connection possible-you won't regret it. |
| only ones to benefit from full or part-time | | | | 4. Decide on telephony endpoints in the home. Once |
| telecommuting. By allowing their staff the convenience | | | | the broadband connection is in place, you'll need to |
| of working from home, business owners experience | | | | decide on just how the telecommuter will make and |
| lower overhead, an increase in employee productivity, | | | | receive phone calls. For purposes of reliability and ease |
| and a higher level of employee satisfaction. | | | | in which others can reach the telecommuter, it is best |
| Is telecommuting right for you? | | | | to have a variety of telephony endpoints in the home. |
| Unfortunately for some, many jobs are simply not | | | | Certainly you will need to decide on an IP-based |
| prime candidates for telecommuting. Careers that | | | | telephone. It is also a good idea to equip the |
| require physical labor, or require facilities such as a lab, | | | | telecommuter with a IP headset to enable hands-free |
| hospital, etc. are obvious non-telecommuting scenarios. | | | | communication. In addition, having a cell phone in place |
| Employees or management executives who spend | | | | provides for one additional access point. |
| much of their time attending meetings or who need to | | | | The IP-based phone eliminates the need for the |
| interact with employees face-to-face probably will find | | | | telecommuter to use their home phone number for |
| the need to spend much of their time on-site. | | | | business, as well as the need to have two separate |
| But for those that spend the majority of their day in | | | | business phone numbers. The IP phone can be set up |
| front of a computer, on the phone or for those that | | | | to provide one number access from both home and |
| simply do not need to be physically in the office five | | | | office. Since the phone uses the same data |
| days a week, telecommuting can be the perfect fit. | | | | connection as the employee's e-mail and file access, it |
| Confronting the telecommuting issues | | | | provides seamless access to voicemail and other |
| Once the decision has been made to allow for the | | | | features used most often within the office |
| option of telecommuting, both employee and employer | | | | environment. |
| need to agree on a number of basic issues. The | | | | Although the IP phone is the best choice, a more |
| following points can serve as a checklist and | | | | economical option is to connect an analog phone to a |
| step-by-step process for successfully implementing a | | | | one-port gateway in the home. The disadvantage of |
| seamless telecommuting solution that works for | | | | this option is that it does not provide all the features of |
| everyone. | | | | an IP-based phone such as caller ID, message waiting, |
| 1. Decide on which employees will be allowed to | | | | etc. |
| telecommute. Before implementing any technological | | | | 5. Set up VPN access and firewalls. Undoubtedly the |
| aspects of telecommuting, the first step is to determine | | | | telecommuter will need access to files located on the |
| which employees or specific job positions can benefit | | | | corporate file servers. The next step is to set up VPN |
| the most from a telecommuting scenario. Individual | | | | access and firewalls so that the user can safely and |
| work habits of employees should be considered as a | | | | easily access corporate files over the Internet. The |
| basis for identifying possible telecommuting candidates. | | | | necessity for VPN access is also another good |
| Working from home carries with it distractions that are | | | | reason to use a company owned laptop. |
| not present in the office environment. Personal phone | | | | 6. Configure existing PBX with a gateway extension. |
| calls, a crying baby, friendly neighbors, television, and a | | | | To provide remote workers with the full benefits of |
| variety of other distractions can be counterproductive | | | | PBX functionality-i.e. complete voicemail features, |
| to those who do not have the discipline it takes to be | | | | access to calling plan discounts, access to corporate |
| a telecommuter. In the beginning, allow just a few | | | | directories, call transfer capabilities, auto attendant, etc. |
| workers telecommuting privileges so that all the "bugs" | | | | it is advisable to implement a PBX extension or |
| can be worked out. | | | | gateway to the existing PBX. |
| 2. Decide on a PC. Virtually all employees will probably | | | | With the PBX-IP gateway, callers can reach the |
| already own a home based PC. The first step for | | | | telecommuter by simply dialing the telecommuters |
| successful telecommuting is to decide on whose PC | | | | normal office number. If the telecommuter is unable to |
| to use. If the decision is made to use the already | | | | answer, the call will automatically be forwarded to their |
| existing home PC, the machine will need to be updated | | | | office voicemail box. The telecommuter connects to |
| with e-mail profiles, VPN and firewall software, and the | | | | the corporate gateway and eventually to the |
| appropriate applications needed to do the job. It is also | | | | corporate PBX using their IP phone, their IP headset or |
| a good idea to partition hard drive space to be used | | | | their analog phone connected to their one-port home |
| for work only and also to implement a reliable means | | | | gateway. |
| for data storage and backup. Most importantly, the | | | | The rise in popularity of telecommuting makes sense |
| home PC will require current and up-to-date virus | | | | mainly because it benefits both employee and |
| software to be installed at all times. | | | | employer. In response to changing market demands |
| A better choice is to have the employer provide a | | | | and resources, many companies are now turning to |
| laptop PC that can easily be transported between | | | | telecommuting solutions to not only reduce expenses, |
| home and office. With this option, all of the appropriate | | | | but to offer their employees a more flexible and |
| software can be installed by the company's IT | | | | satisfying work environment. |