Telecommuting, the Kiss of Career Death?

I came across an LA Times article this week about the career perils of telecommuting. Writer Molly Selvin does a terrific job summing up my feelings about working from home (i.e. Out of Sight, Out of Mind). She cites a recent Korn/Ferry International survey about promotion prospects for different employee groups.

Take a look. Molly sums it up nicely, and there's some learning for all of us around continuing to be visible in our careers. Whether you're a telecommuter, or an employee working in a regional office, far removed from the mother ship, keeping one’s visibility with bosses, peers and subordinates is extremely important.

What are some ways to stay visible?

• Plan on spending at least a little bit of time in the office. As the article highlights, the informal water cooler chat is key for staying in the loop. I remember the “end of the day office drop in by the boss” as great times to elevate visibility and informally hear what’s really going on in the organization. Bottom line, don’t hide out!
  
  
• Converge with peers who also share your situation. A young client of mine recently moved home to telecommute when his DC employer was acquired by a west-coast conglomerate. Larry now schedules a few sessions a week where he and his colleague meet at a local Starbucks and work parallel with other, just to break the silent monotony of working at home.
  
  
• Volunteer for task forces, special assignments, special projects, etc. This is a great way to stay visible, as well as current with what’s going on.
  
  
• And if you can swing it, make your next job one where you are office-based. While a lot of us can’t fathom ever working in an office again, keep an open mind about it, and there might be some political-capitol payoffs in the long run.
  

If any readers have tips on being a successful telecommuter, send ‘em on! We’ll compile and post!