Telecommuting in India: Pitfalls and Possibilities

Abstract

Telecommuting, where individuals primarily work from sites that are miles away from central offices, is making inroads into India’s work practices. This practice carries several promises but also confronts many hurdles in its adoption. The advantages include reduced traffic congestion and commuter hassles, higher productivity and better work–family balance. The problems it confronts include structural and cultural issues such as lack of adequate infrastructure, societal resistance and organizational culture of command and control. This article proposes many possible solutions to enable telecommuting. These include information dissemination, redesign of jobs and appraisal systems and careful configuration of telecommute programmes.