Telecommuting Advantages And Disadvantages

Can you imagine commuting to work in a huge city without congesting damaged roads and air consumed with pollution from road work and vehicle exhaust? These are major concerns which affect community health and safety. These concerns have been present in Atlanta for many years, and the city’s continuous changes in population and expansion have created an even more, need to address the concerns. Telecommuting is one of the answers to the concerns of public safety and health in many cities. In the journal, How Effective is Telecommuting, Allen, Golden and Shockley state, “With recent advances in technology that enable mobile connections at ever-affordable rates, working away from the office as a telecommuter has become increasingly available to

There are many opposing arguments such as management issues and employee isolation which are linked to the business aspect. When it comes to public safety, the advantages of telecommuting outweigh the disadvantages greatly. There is minimal argument against the benefits telecommuting can provide on air quality. As stated in the article, The Impact of Telecommuting on Personal Vehicle Usage and Environmental Sustainability, “Over the last several decades, urban planners and policymakers have suggested that telecommuting be used to reduce the number of automobiles on the road, especially at peak drive times” (Zhu, 2012 p. 56). Telecommuting is identified by government officials as a solution to the concern of the number of vehicles on the roads during the busiest commute times. The government is supporting the movement of telecommuting for the future benefit it holds for public safety in terms of unnecessary commutes which can lead to unnecessary hazards for drivers that rely on the roads and establishing an uninterrupted function for government agencies throughout emergencies of local and national scales. In the article, Trusting Telework in the Federal Government, the authors state, “President Barak Obama signed into law The Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-292; The Act) on December 9, 2010” (Brown, Smith, Arduengo

Telecommuting demonstrates its possibility of longevity in the work world. Extending telecommuting to employees will assist in the reduction of traffic problems and environmental concerns in Atlanta and its surrounding areas. These reductions include traffic on Interstates 85 and 285, along with better air quality for those living close to heavy traffic. The minimal opposition on telecommuting, related to safety and health secures its success. Including telecommuting with other lifestyle changes that have positive impacts on the concerns many people have for the city of Atlanta can have huge benefits for the future and present residents. It is clear that a solution needs to come to fruition. If we all participate in a strategy that would benefit our city’s concerns, we can stop the unintentional decline of our communities. When it comes to telecommuting it is important that we consider the aspect of our environmental future concerns and not only the employee and business