Reader Question: I work in a large IT company and my colleagues have been allowed to work remotely. Do I have a lower chance of being promoted or do it increase my chances of being laid off?
My Answer: First, thank you for asking. It’s great to receive questions from my IT readers. The answer to your question about the effect of telecommuting upon promotions and layoffs depends on the following:
Your company’s telecommuting culture and norms Your company’s culture
Like people, companies have their own values, strengths and weaknesses. They also have prejudices and personalities. That said, consider the following questions when deciding if you want to telecommute:Is the company technically equipped with conference room speakers, remote computer access, and tools needed to facilitate efficient work from outside the office?Does your company conceptually support telecommuting or does it simply tolerate it?Can you remotely participate in important department discussions?Is there an out-of-site-out-of-mind mentality for those working out of the office?Is your boss supportive of telecommuting or is he/she begrudgingly providing the option because it’s company policy?Are virtual teams at your company managed well or managed poorly? What percentage of people work remotely?
This question is asked because if a large percentage of people work remotely and/or business groups are spread across multiple locations, then it is important that work-related processes are in place to accommodate remote workers. However, if you are the only person working remotely, it is likely that you will be forgotten. This is not because of animosity but because people forget to call you. As previously said, you will be out-of-sight-out-of-mind. How visible can your home be?
This is because some jobs are more closely connected to people than others. If you are a software tester, for example, and communicate with programmers, users, and other testers via email, bug reports, and phone to discuss issues, it can be very visible internally. However, if you are a software tester and communicate with programmers, users, and other testers by email, or via bug reports, you will be less visible to your boss and colleagues. This second scenario will make it difficult for you to have a high office visibility from home. How effective are you remotely?
Some job types are more suitable for remote work than others. It is generally easier for a programmer than for a business analyst to work remotely, if they need to interview users in order to write a functional specification for a new application. You have another option. Instead of working from home 24/7, you might consider telecommuting or working at the office. This means that you could work remotely two to three days per week, and spend the rest of your time at the office. This could give you the best of both the worlds: some time at home and some visibility in the office. Telecommuting can be a great option for you and your company, provided that your job and company are set up in a way that allows for success. Keep working hard, be smart, and keep growing. Eric Bloom, former CIO, is the president of Manager Mechanics LLC. This company specializes in information technology leadership development and is the governing body for the Information Technology Management and Leadership Professional and Information Technology Management and Leadership Executive certifications. He is also a nationally syndicated columnist, National Speakers Association Member, and author of several books.
