NorthernTelework.ca

For the 1.5 million Canadians who work out of their homes or in satellite business centres at least a few days a week, work isn’t so much about where they go, but what they do. When instant messaging and Internet-ready cellphones make it easy to literally slip the office into our pockets, these employees are turning to telework as an alternative to maddening commutes, buck-a-litre gas prices and too much time away from family. Some organizations tout telework as one of the best ways to boost employee recruitment and retention and save millions in the process. Here’s how…

Motorists on the 401 had another reason to gripe about commuting into the city Thursday morning, as they woke up to the news that part of the highway was closed off by yet another accident. But if you had the chance to avoid all that traffic trauma every morning, would you take it?

A new survey indicates you might not. A recruiting firm asked executives if they’d be willing to relocate to a new job somewhere else if it meant being able to give up their 90 minute ride into work. And while you might expect the initial response to be “in a second”, the actual findings don’t match that assumption.

If you have the itch to work from home but not as an employee, how about checking out StartupNation’s Top 100 Home-based Businesses? These are not mere business ideas but actual home-based businesses organized into ten categories including Best Financial Performers, Yummiest, and Most Slacker-Friendly.

Lay out the reason you want to work from home. Wilsker suggests something along these lines: “I’ve been an employee for three years. I get top reviews. You tell me how important I am to the company. I need a little work-life balance. My kid plays soccer. Even if I leave the office at 4 o’ clock, I can’t guarantee I’ll be home for that game at 6. I’d really like to telecommute.”