Although many perceive telecommuting as only a work-life perk, it is slowly emerging as a valued employee benefit that is redefining how employers deploy staff and manage productivity.

New research reveals, though, that many managers are reluctant to embrace telework and may even be subconsciously hindering the advancement of telecommuters.

Survey results from recruitment firm Futurestep, a subsidiary of Korn/Ferry International, show that 61% of senior managers believe telecommuters are less likely to move up the corporate ladder compared to traditional office workers.

The poll of 1,320 global executives from 71 countries represented a cross-section of industries. Strangely, even though the majority of execs believe telecommuters are not serious contenders for professional advancement, more than three-fourths indicate telecommuters are equally or more productive than office workers.

"They seem to be saying, Within our companies it's not a viable option; you've just got to be there and have that face time.' In other words, to advance, workers have to be visible," says Bill Gilbert, country leader for the U.S. at Futurestep.

At the same time, though, managers seem to be aware of the changing demographics in the workforce and the need for flexible work options. "It's an attractive option to them as bosses and employees," says Gilbert.

Forced into flexibility

The "it's-good-for-me-but-not-for-you" sentiment apparently is echoed among government managers as well. Although federal agencies were ordered by Congress in 2000 to establish telework policies that allowed employees to work from home "to the maximum extent possible without diminished employee performance," the forced flexibility has not taken hold.

Only 19% of federal workers were telecommuting in 2005, according to the Office of Personnel Management, and more recent data show managers approve of telework for themselves, but not so much for their employees.

Telework Exchange, a Virginia-based group that works with public and private firms on telecommuting policies, recently partnered with the Federal Managers Association (FMA), which represents nearly 200,000 federal managers, supervisors and executives, to tackle management inertia regarding telecommuting.

Cindy Auten, general manager at Telework Exchange, asserts that since the 2005 OPM report, the 19% figure has probably increased. However, she does acknowledge that some agencies lag behind in seriously adopting telecommuting polices.

"There's an old-legacy management style where bosses think that if a worker is in the office, then he or she must be doing work. For the 21st century, managers need to brush aside the notion that work can only be accomplished in a traditional office setting.

They have to realize productivity can occur off site," Auten says. Young government workers, many of whom are tech savvy, want flexible work options at a time when recruitment and retention are huge issues within federal agencies.

Darryl Perkinson, national president of FMA, says "Telework has the potential to revolutionize federal agency operations." He sees it as creating a flexible and modern workplace that would allow government to compete with the private sector.

"Telework is a vital resource in meeting the challenges of retaining experienced professionals and enticing talented employees," Perkinson notes.

Yet, the Telework Exchange survey shows 54% of federal managers who do not oversee teleworkers have a favorable attitude about telecommuting, while 63% of respondents who do manage teleworkers felt the same. Not surprisingly, 75% of bosses who telecommute thought it was a good idea.

However, the firm also found that only 35% of federal managers felt their agencies support telework.

In addition, a majority of mangers feared not having control over employees' activities and thought productivity was at risk. Communication also struck a nerve: 32% say lack of face-to-face contact was an issue.

Other hurdles include the inability to collaborate face-to-face (22%) and not being able to access co-workers (20%). Supervisors express less concern about security and lack of funding as they become more involved in telecommuting.

Therefore, Auten says, it's important for organizations to establish training programs to teach managers how to assess productivity and employees' output. "There's an assumption that teleworking means an employee is working from home five days a week," she observes. "Yet the reality is the average employee teleworks only one or two days a week. It's not as if you are never going to see your employees again."

To encourage telework, Auten suggests organizations should conduct periodic reviews, open discussions and incorporate a system to track performance. Firms should also focus on positive outcomes, establish ways to measure teleworkers' performance and obtain endorsement from senior management.

"Telecommuting is going to take an upswing, especially in the federal government. People are more focused on providing flexible work schedules for their employees, as well as for their agency operations," she says.

Experts contend telecommuting helps workers maintain balance in other parts of their lives, which, in turn, fosters loyalty, satisfaction and retention.

The challenge for employers, says Gilbert, is measuring productivity of telecommuters within the larger context of the firm. The survey results send a message to companies to come up with innovative ways to assess and measure people who work outside of the office, but at the same time ensure that everyone is measured by the same playing field. - L.C.B.