Analysis: Benefits of Telecommuting in PR

 

Telecommuting is shifting into high gear, and public relations is driving one of the fastest cars on the road to virtual offices.

Telecommuting increased 80 percent over the past decade, turbocharged by the spread of Web-based communications tools, a desire for a work-life balance and a disdain for sitting in traffic. PR is frequently named one of the best jobs for telecommuting. AKCache.com placed PR seventh on its top 10 list of the professions well-suited for telecommuting. PR workers typically spend much of their time writing, making phone calls, and researching with online databases — work that can easily be done from home.

Some small PR firms operate entirely with distance workers. More corporate PR departments and agencies can benefit by allowing more employees to telecommute. In fact, telecommuting may be the future of public relations.

Telecommuting advantages for PR firms and other businesses include:

• Higher Productivity. Telecommuters have more time for work since they don’t spend time driving or sitting on trains or buses. They aren’t distracted by talkative colleagues. They simply step into their kitchen for lunch instead of heading out for lunch, and many frequently return to work after dinner in their home offices.

• Better work performance. Telecommuting often improves work performance by improving the quality of life. Telecommuters avoid the stress of commuting have greater flexibility to meet family obligations.

• Lower overhead. Firms pay less for office space and utilities.

• Access to more talent. Businesses can hire people living practically anywhere.

• High-quality communication. Contrary to common perception, remote teams enjoy excellent communication. They tend to work hard to make up for lack of physical proximity by preparing for meetings and taking advantage of telephone conferences, instant messaging and video conferences.

• Diverse thinking. Employees in different geographical areas can provide a wider range of viewpoints.

• Happier employees. Employees who have control over and flexibility in their work schedules are generally happier employees. Working from home is also less stressful.

Confessions of a PR Telecommuter

PR veteran Ben Silverman described how he is much more productive telecommuting. “My employee productivity increases at home mostly because I have fewer distractions,” Silverman wrote for the ereleases blog, PR Fuel. “There are no co-workers to stop by my cubicle — and when they stop by via IM, I can ignore them — and no lengthy trips to the bathroom or to lunch to take me away from my desk for too long.”

He is much more productive than PR pros working in the office, he asserts. While visiting PR firms’ offices he noticed that employers were constantly distracted by colleagues. Stress levels jumped and productivity dropped when bosses unexpectedly visited employees to inquire into their activities.

Telecommuting Best Practices

Erika Weinstein, CEO of eTeam Executive Search, offers these tips for creating virtual offices in an article for iMedia Connection.

• Use an instant message program for communications to create a sense of “now” among team members. Use chat to have side conversations to gain consensus, confirm understanding, or ask questions. Ask quick questions through instant messenger as a substitute for popping into someone’s cubicle.

• Use Skype and video conferencing to communicate between team members and to train new team members. Keeping sound and cameras on all day enables the new person to listen and learn from more experienced team members.

• Contact remote employees frequently to see how they are doing and check if they understand your process.

• Use online networks and software for tasks like sharing files, bug tracking, project management, source control, virtual phones, web conferencing, conference calls and other functions.

• Meet in-person occasionally. In-person meetings help build team interconnections and trust. Regular group meetings help create your internal employee brand and can increase the team’s efficiency.

Bottom Line: Both PR firms and their employees can benefit from telecommuting, especially since many PR tasks can be easily done from home. Telecommuters are more productive and happier, while business can effectively manage remote staff members and reduce overhead by using available online communication and productivity tools.