IT workers will “pay” to telecommute

By Kate Southam

Nearly half of those working in IT value telecommuting so highly they would work for less money if they could do their job from

home.
 

In a survey carried out by Robert Half Technology, IT workers were asked what they valued enough to take a pay cut to secure and

48 per cent nominated the right to work from home.

Of those surveyed, 40 would take a pay cut to secure flexible working hours, 39 per cent extra holidays and 39 per cent to work in

their ideal location.
 

The survey, carried out earlier this year as part of Robert Half Technology’s 2010 Salary Survey, also revealed that most IT

workers feel overworked. Of those responding, 29 per cent reported working more than 46 hours a week and 35 per cent often or

always felt pressured to work additional hours.

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Manager of Robert Half Technology Jon Chapman told CareerOne that the candidate market had moved from passive to active with many

IT professionals now looking for their next role.
 

On the client side, Chapman says demand for IT talent had also increased particularly in the areas of data warehousing, business

intelligence and ERP systems.
 

While Chapman doesn’t advocate paying IT talent less than their market worth he points out that offering flexibility and

telecommuting would help employers gain a market edge when it comes to securing the best talent. He knows of one contractor who

accepted $200 a day less than his usual day rate because the employer offered flexibility.

“Telecommuting provides numerous cost savings for the employer, helping them save on office-related materials and resources.

Telecommuting also reduces the environmental impact of employees driving to and from work,” says Chapman. [Editor: The

environmental benefits of telecommuting are currently a matter of debate].  

Chapman acknowledges the take up rate of telecommuting in Australia has been slow despite the availability of technology to

facilitate home-based work and the ability of employers to measure employee performance by outcome rather than hours spent in the

workplace.
 

He advises employers who have reservations about letting their employees work from home to consider implementing it on a trial

basis to give them time to develop clear communication policies to manage expectations and outputs with their employees.

Chapman points to a comment made by Kevin Bloch, CTO of CISCO Australia and New Zealand about how technology will change the way

we work and live that will one day make telecommuting a fact of life.

Speaking as part of Robert Half’s video CIO Master Series, Bloch said that “our grad kids [will be]….unaware of the fact that

many, many years ago you had to be in an office to work.”
 

Chapman says employers who do develop flexible work arrangements will be better placed to recruit and retain skilled technology

employees as well as achieve greater cost efficiencies.
 

“What this survey is telling us is that employees in the technology industry are looking for the greater work/life balance that

workplace flexibility can provide.”
 

“The benefit of working in IT is that the majority of activity can be done remotely, irrespective of traditional office working

hours. Employers should capitalise on this and recognise that the industry is well placed to make the most of flexible working

arrangements,” Chapman says.

 Article from CareerOne, December 1, 2010.