Linking to the Teleworker

Employees who periodically work from home will typically use their own phone and Internet connection, and a VPN set up by the company. Voice-over-Internet-protocol (VOIP) phones—which use data connections such as the Internet for voice calling—have features such as remote office (assigning any phone number as your work “base”), call forwarding, or simultaneous ring (in which incoming phone calls ring to multiple phones) that make it convenient, cost-effective, and easy to work remotely. If the company uses a hosted VOIP system, the employee can have access to his or her work landline from anywhere, and the line can be reassigned when the employee leaves the company.

“This category is growing by leaps and bounds as employees have busy lives filled with professional and personal commitments,” Brower says. “Being able to work from home, either for flex hours or to catch up on work is very empowering to the employee.”

Traveling road warriors need full access to communications and network systems regardless of where they are. VPN or secure socket layer connectivity that can be used to securely access the company network from any location keeps teleworkers productive as they travel. VOIP phone features allow calls to be transferred anywhere.

Basic equipment for telecommuting employees probably also includes a laptop computer, broadband Internet, and connectivity software. While desktop computers cost less, a laptop allows employees the flexibility to work from alternate locations if their Internet connection fails.

A reliable, high-speed Internet connection is crucial. Using dial-up is often not sufficient. “All of our telecommuters have cable modems for broadband speeds,” says Denny Leese, Minnesota general sales manager for telecommunication services provider Norlight Telecommunications. “We run a quick test and set up VPNs to ensure security. If it is required [that they work remotely], we split the cost. If it’s optional, the employee pays for it.”

“A large e-mail attachment, Windows update, or frequent access to a networked application would likely bottle-neck the employee’s ability to produce” with anything but high-speed broadband, Brower says.