Given the many operational, financial, practical and human considerations, telework or telecommuting is simply not suitable for everyone or for every situation. It is not always easy to distinguish which employees and jobs are suited to telecommuting from those that are not. Making the wrong choices can often do more harm than good. A bit of education along with clear, fair and transparent selection guidelines can help ensure that everyone understands the suitability criteria, as well as the ins and outs of the organization's telecommuting policy and procedures.

Here are some considerations to guide organizations and managers to assess ideal telework situations. Remember that these are generic traits and should not be viewed as hard and fast rules. Failure to meet one or more of these criteria does not necessarily mean that telecommuting is mpossible.

Organizations most suited for telework...

• are competitive, practical and open to new ways of carrying out business and able to adapt to change
• rely on computers for much of their work
• understand the value of work-life balance
• see the link between telecommuting and morale; as well as between productivity and attracting or retaining top talent
• have staff that do not always need to be on site
• are willing to support telecommuters with adequate training, equipment, and IT resources and support
• know how many employees they can afford to have off-site at any one time

The Right Job...

• the work, or part of the work, can be sent to and from the employee’s home with ease, speed and confidentiality
• the extent of face-to-face contact required with managers, colleagues, clients or subordinates (in the case of tele-managers)
• the extent to which the job is subject to constant unscheduled meetings requiring face-to-face contact
• the degree to which it is essential that the employee be able to immediately
  access equipment, materials, and files that are situated only at the workplace
• the compliance of the telecommuting situation with organizational security
  requirements — can be accomplished without the removal of classified documents from the office
• the equipment, as well as Internet and remote access capability requirements of the telecommuter.

The Right Employees...

• are already familiar with their work, their organization and its culture, and with their colleagues
• are independent "self-starters" that do not require external prodding or stimulus in order to get on with the work
• are self-motivated, self-disciplined, and able to ignore distractions, focus on the work to be done
• adept at communicating quickly and effectively with at-office colleagues
• do not seek telecommuting as a way to balance work while minding pre-school children at the same time
• do not have high needs for social interaction with at-office colleagues
• have home offices that are well equipped with the right work tools, and that are safe, quiet, ergonomically sound and meet the requirements of the organization's telecommuting program

The Right Boss...

• is skilled at supervision and communication
• trusts the integrity and professionalism of their employees
• manages by objectives, agreed performance standards and deadlines, and not by crisis, panic or reaction
• evaluates performance by results rather than by the clock or 'face time'
• is highly supportive of their telecommuting IT requirements
• has a generally flexible approach
• understands employee needs to balance work with personal life