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Do's and Don'ts

With careful planning, you and your telecommuter will be successful at telecommuting. Here are a few habits to adopt to help your telecommuter and some pitfalls to avoid:

DO:

• Trust your telecommuter.
• Select for success. (i.e., select good candidates)
• Encourage goal-setting and good organizational skills.
• Give appropriate and timely feedback.
• Manage by measuring results as opposed to managing by policing work hours, concentrating on punctuality, appearance, etc.
• Communicate frequently.
• Use telecommuting as an opportunity to strengthen your management skills.
• Delegate assignments equitably among your telecommuter and non-telecommuters.
• Plan ahead for meetings so the telecommuter can attend.
• Include your telecommuters in day-to-day activities.
• Take telecommuting very seriously.
• Recognize work done by the telecommuters while telecommuting.

DON'T:

• Don't conduct curfew checks.
• Don't ignore your telecommuter.
• Don't ask for constant status reports.
• Don't set unrealistic deadlines for projects.
• Don't neglect problems.
• Don't set unattainable goals.
• Don't give telecommuting a bad name.
• Don't manage by closely supervising.
• Don't expect everyone to be a successful telecommuter; allow the unsuccessful telecommuter to terminate participation in the program.

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