The Effects of Telecommuting on Career Growth and Advancement

John Krautzel
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The idea of waking up in the morning, putting on a pot of coffee and padding in your slippers to your home office is probably more appealing than the thought of donning a suit and tie and fighting commuter traffic. However, while telecommuting can improve work-life balance and productivity, it can also have a negative impact on career growth and advancement.

Decreased Visibility

Since telecommuters are not physically in the office, they may miss out on opportunities for advancement or raises. According to a study by MIT Sloan Management Review, managers typically promote workers who are present and visible, as they are viewed as being more dependable and responsible. Staffers who work from home are also often the target of lower performance reviews, as managers view them as serving a more passive role in the organization.

To remain visible as a telecommuter, make use of all the technology available to you, including video conferencing software and mobile devices, to interact with managers and colleagues while asserting yourself as a reliable employee. If it's possible, consider splitting your time between the office and home to increase your visibility.

Missed Opportunities

As a work-from-home staffer, you may miss out on after-meeting conversations or water cooler talk about upcoming retirements or open positions. Since you’re not in the office on a regular basis, you may not see a job posting on the community bulletin board.

To stay up-to-date with happenings in the office, interact on a regular basis with a few colleagues so you stay informed of important events and decisions. Be sure to read the company newsletter to find out about transfers, promotions or training opportunities.

Inhibited Motivation

When you’re working on your own without co-workers to ease your loneliness, your productivity and quality of work may suffer. This can especially be an issue for individuals who are extremely social and may even lead to job dissatisfaction and the desire to quit.

If you feel your motivation dwindling, take your laptop and mobile device to a coffee shop or public library that offers free Wi-Fi so you don’t develop cabin fever. Use LinkedIn or other career websites to interact with other telecommuters.

Decreased Networking Opportunities

In addition to bringing on feelings of loneliness, telecommuting can also cause work-from-home staffers to miss out on the camaraderie and personal relationships that thrive in an office setting. You miss out on office chit-chat and opportunities to form a face-to-face connections with clients, interactions that may one day help spur advancements or promotions.

To stay connected to those at the office while working from home, try to attend social gatherings outside the office, such as cocktail hours or holiday parties, whenever you can. Join in on Intranet conversations, and offer to help with the company newsletter or social committees. Consider working from the office one day a week or several days per month to keep your company network strong.

Diminished Supervisor Trust

Some managers are distrustful of telecommuting employees, assuming that stay-at-home staffers tend to personal errands and household chores rather than focusing on their job duties. If there are instances when your supervisor is unable to get in contact with you, a client’s phone call goes unanswered or a colleague’s email is not immediately addressed, the lack of trust from management may increase.

If you lose the trust of your supervisor or just want to strengthen his confidence in your abilities, be sure to make yourself available through all technological channels, including email, telephone, instant messenger, Web conference and video conference. Keep yourself motivated to complete assignments by their deadlines, and manage distractions so you don’t lose sight of your work duties.

While telecommuting is a popular work option that offers many benefits for staffers and employees, it's important to understand the potential negative consequences that come with the decision and learn how to manage these disadvantages. While working from home may increase your job satisfaction and provide greater flexibility, it can also have a negative impact on your career growth and future development unless you take certain precautions.

Photo Courtesy of David Hwang at Flickr.com
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  • ellen b.
    ellen b. •

    I have worked at home for the last 12 years and I really love it, it allowed me to work and multi task at the same time. All of the work was done via e mail and phone calls. Working on a magazine when deadlines were key was at times difficult dealingl with others and their schedule was at times crays and at times impossible.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Thomas working from home is really great. You don't have to worry about work clothes, commuting, gas, maintenance expenses, money for lunch and so on. It can be a bit tough sometimes because you are in relative isolation but it's up to you to reach out and bond with your co-workers from the office if you need that interaction. Maybe you could plan a weekly get together so that you can keep up with the company happenings and have some social time at the same time.

  • Thomas W.
    Thomas W. •

    In all my work experience I haven't had a telecommuting career. But it seems that having an office job has some benefits over working from home. Namely the social aspect of the job. It's that human interaction. Unless the employee is an introvert, and doesn't care to be around others.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Erin thank you for that. My sentiments exactly. I have been working remotely for ten years now and still love it. I love the flexibility my schedule offers. But I didn't get a flexible schedule right from the start. I worked to prove myself and then, gradually, was able to get more flexible hours. This way, if I have an appointment, I can attend to it and then get right back to work. @Laura I can only speak from my personal experience but I touch base with my boss as often as needed. How often would you talk to your boss during a regular work day in the office? I think it just depends upon the worker and the supervisor. If they can come to an agreement regarding work load and expectations, it will be a win-win. @Lydia that crazy butt in the seats mentality is still around but is slowly fading. That comes from the old school way of doing things. If the boss walks around the office, he wants to see you at your desk. But honestly, if you are working from home and the work is getting done, he doesn't need to worry about you. If the work is not getting done, well, that is a different story. You have to figure out why you were able to get the job done while in the office but not getting it done at home. Too many distractions? Do you find yourself playing games or doing other things that are not work related? If so, then maybe you should reconsider and head back to the office to work.

  • Lydia K.
    Lydia K. •

    I agree with the points in this article because I had the experience of working in the same position first in the office, and then as a telecommuter. In my experience, when you telecommute, you have to work harder to prove your worth and standards are higher. Performance that earned good appraisals on site might not be adequate when you are off site. Managers tend to feel more comfortable with workers they can see everyday. So as a telecommuter you have to take the extra effort to stay on radar.

  • Laura W.
    Laura W. •

    This article gives some great tips for employees who are working from home. What I'm missing are the tips for managers or supervisors who have to deal with several tele-commuting employees, each with their own schedules. Are there any general tips for them?

  • Erin H.
    Erin H. •

    This article brings up an interesting point about supervisors losing confidence in remote workers. Diminished supervisor trust can be a problem if you're not readily available and not turning in your work in time. Then again, I think that your work ethic should prevent the things that make a supervisor lose trust in you. If you're doing your job, and your supervisor is happy with your performance, I don't think it matters if you are working at the office or from home.

  • Jay Bowyer
    Jay Bowyer •

    I totally agree with the "decreased visibility" aspect of telecommuting. It's so easy to isolate ourselves at home — and so important to identify when we're doing that so that we can come out of our shells a bit! Dropping into the office regularly or splitting our time between the office and home might well be the way to go.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Hema that issue would have to be decided right from the start. Maybe you can set up a system whereby, if you need to use a restroom, you can ping a coworker to cover for you and you can turn your phone off during that time. Everyone needs breaks and companies understand that. @Erin taking your work to a public place is a personal choice. Some people thrive in an environment like that. Even though there is noise around you, it's not about you so you can actually tune it out. It's just nice sometimes to have a change of scenery.

  • Erin Jean
    Erin Jean •

    Kellen - I wouldn't find a break in that routine very helpful. The sound and interaction with so many strangers would disrupt my work flow and concentration significantly.

  • Hema Zahid
    Hema Zahid •

    What happens if the telecommuter needs a bathroom break and is unable to answer a phone call? In an office this situation would be completely normal, but if it takes place in the worker’s home then it could be misunderstood. Are there any steps telecommuters can take to stop such misunderstandings with the management?

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    Thanks for the great comments. @Jacob I am not sure I would agree with your assessment. I have worked from home for many years now but I am focused on my career growth. It probably depends upon the person and the position but most of us are not willing to forego a promotion just because we telecommute. @William usually the term "telecommute" is used for anyone who works from home - whether an employee or a freelancer. Seems that telecommute, telework, remote, virtual and freelance are words that are used to describe someone who works from a different location. Freelance seems to refer to someone who is not an employee of the company but works for themselves - as in self-employed. The worker will typically have more options when it comes to work schedules and they are responsible for all taxes, healthcare costs and any other costs associated with their work. @Katharine so very true with many work from home positions - you are not sitting in the office so everyone tends to forget about you. I think that it's up to us to make sure that we are not forgotten about unless it's payday. I am not in a position to just show up at the office since we are on opposite sides of the state but that's true - show up every once in awhile if you are in a position to do so. You certainly don't want to hear them say "Katharine who?"!

  • Katharine M.
    Katharine M. •

    "Out of sight, out of mind" is definitely an apt description of the dangers of telecommunication. I have found when I've worked from home that it was important to show up every now and then, just to remind people that I exist. I've also been on the other side and noticed people being completely forgotten because they worked from home.

  • William Browning
    William Browning •

    What about expanding your horizons through freelancing? Telecommuting from home generally describes someone who is an employee of a business. Freelancing helps you to expand your horizons, earn new business and stretch your wings. I know it's extra work beyond the time you already put in at your job, but freelancing can help motivate you to get out there on your own.

  • Jacob T.
    Jacob T. •

    This article raises a few valid points, although I would questions whether the majority of people who choose to telecommute are really that focused on career growth. Electing to be home to raise children or remove yourself from the stress of commuting and being in the office inherently imply a willingness to forgo some of that opportunity.

  • Shannon Philpott
    Shannon Philpott •

    I completely agree with the idea of changing your environment when motivation is low. As a telecommuter, I have learned to recognize when distractions at home are impacting my productivity or even when it is just too quiet. Coffee shops or cafes can also help you to feel a little less lonely when you don't have colleagues to communicate with on a daily basis.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    Thanks for your comments. @Kellen you could sit in Starbucks, Paneras or a number of other such places for however long you wish; no one is going to ask you to leave. I am sure that libraries are used to patrons coming in and using their wifi without checking out books. I agree that it's nice to be able to break up the monotony of looking at the same four walls all day. @Abbey I happen to agree since I am one of those who works from home. I do my best to stay in touch with my team and try to chat with my supervisor at least several times each month. There are so many ways today, too - to keep in touch with your team. Facetime, hangouts, Skype and so on - they offer the ability to see each other in real time and to "get to know" each other plus take care of business. Telecommuting is a great way to work as long as you take it seriously. If you don't, your days of telecommuting will be short lived.

  • Abbey Boyd
    Abbey Boyd •

    I don't think a telecommuter needs to split their time between home and office just to ensure they are visible. The amount of work that you do, the quality of that work, and the degree of effort you put into communicating with your supervisors and co-workers should be enough to keep you visible. Make sure you connect with others in the office on a routine basis, make sure you are working during the time you are supposed to be, and make sure that the quality of your work stays above average. Having a telecommuting job means that you shouldn't have to be guilted into going into the office just to make sure others still see you as a part of the team. There are plenty of ways to do this from home.

  • Kellen P.
    Kellen P. •

    I like the idea of going to a library or coffee shop to "break up" your telecommuting routine. Which corporate coffee chains are the most accepting of this practice? Will a Starbucks barista ask you to leave after a few hours? The library idea is very intriguing. Do public libraries frown upon patrons who are not checking out books or using any library resources (except the Wi-Fi, of course)?

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