It’s estimated that 30 million people worked from home in 2016. Teleworking or working virtually is on the rise, and even the American federal government encourages it as a way to reduce commuter traffic and carbon emissions across the country. Working at home requires self-discipline and organization, so Clarity Consultants has published a white paper to help those who work at home make the best of the situation including

• assessing skills and temperament
• setting expectations at the outset
• establishing lines of communication

"Working virtually is quickly becoming a more accepted standard of working," says Herb Tieger, President and CEO of Clarity Consultants. "After making some minor adjustments to their work styles, most virtual workers report greater productivity and job satisfaction. A 2015 study conducted by Stanford Economics Professor Nicholas Bloom showed a 13% increase in productivity and estimated savings of $1,900 per employee. As companies embrace the positive findings, stigmas will be resolved, and the number of remote opportunities will rise."

The key to working remotely is to establish working guidelines with the client at the beginning of the project and to stick to the agreed-upon conventions. Communication becomes even more essential in a virtual project, including knowing the client’s preferred mode of communication and which mode to use for which purpose.