Analytical Report: Telecommuting Policy at Google

Analytical Report Work Plan: Telecommuting Policy at Google

Statement of Opportunity

In this generation, telecommuting has become a norm in many tech companies. A majority of them have implemented telecommuting policies for their employees. Telecommuting can support employees’ work-life balance while also saving them time from commuting to and from the office. Businesses also reap the benefits of reduced overhead costs and increased productivity from workers.

Our team will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of telecommuting to provide information for Google to consider implementing this policy back into their company. This work plan will help guide us in generating our upcoming report.

Purpose and Scope

We are preparing this report to analyze the effects of implementing a formal telecommuting policy at Google. This policy is widely used amongst other tech companies, but it appears that Google isn’t all for it. Different companies have different opinions on the effectiveness of this policy. The purpose of this report is to identify all the risks and benefits associated with telecommuting, and through research, we will determine if this policy fits with Google’s current environment.

The scope of this analytical report will focus on the effectiveness, or ineffectiveness, of telecommuting policies in high-tech companies such as Google. However, this report will not cover any environmental issues related to commuting.

Sources and Methods of Data Collection

The majority of our data comes from reliable sources such as academic articles and consumer publications. Moreover, our sources define the pros and cons of telecommuting as well as discuss how implementing this policy can benefit companies. We will also use the SJSU library database to find other credible sources and business articles. All sources selected will be current, relevant, and accurate.

Background

The idea of telecommuting came from Jack Nilles, a NASA worker that remotely worked on a project by himself in 1976 (Allied Telecom, 2018). Since then, many companies have begun to use this system to allow their workers to work from home. Many tech companies like Apple, Dell, and Adobe have adopted this policy; however, Google is slowly beginning to restrict it in many of its work sites.

Audience Analysis

This analytical report is primarily for Google, one of the world’s largest multinational tech companies. Google strives to promote diversity and collaboration in the workplace. With its headquarters located in Mountain View, CA, it attracts many professional engineers from around the world. Google’s senior management team will read our report to re-evaluate the Telecommuting Policy at their company. This analysis report can also benefit other companies that are considering the implementation of such a policy.

Preliminary Outline

· Executive Summary

· Briefly summarize the report, discuss the pros and cons, and introduce the main ideas. Provide recommendations surrounding the telecommuting policy.

· Introduction

· Discuss why Google should (or should not) implement a telecommuting policy.

· General background of the telecommuting policy at Google

· Support with evidence

· Transition to the body paragraphs

· Body

· Advantages of telecommuting policies

· It gives employees more flexibility to get the job done

· Employee satisfaction

· “Telecommuting may increase employees' job flexibility, retention, productivity, and motivation” (Mills, Wong-Ellison, Werner, & Clay, 2001).

· Financial benefits from telecommuting

· “It allows employees to alter their lifestyles and employers to better manage administrative overhead” (Young, 1991).

· What other advantages are associated with telecommuting?

· Disadvantages of telecommuting policies

· Less face-to-face interactions

· “Decentralization of the workforce can lead to employee isolation from employers and coworkers” (Young, 1991).

· Managers cannot control when employees work

· Security risk of confidential information

· What other disadvantages are related to telecommuting?

· Legal implications of telecommuting policies

· “employers face issues connected with workplace safety, because they can be held accountable for accidents at a telecommuter's home office” (Mills et. al, 2001).

· There are compensation and wage issues when an employee works from home. An employee must keep track of the hours worked. They are often not paid for any overtime out of the office (Mills et. al, 2011).

· Why are employers hesitant to adopt a telecommuting policy?

· Conclusion

· Recommendations

· Should Google implement a telecommuting policy? Is it worth it?

· How can we make improvements according to each disadvantage?

· References

· Young, J. A. (1991). The advantages of telecommuting. Management Review, 80(7), 19. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/docview/206699003?accountid=10361