Ever since telecommuting has been a realistic option in our workplaces, the fear has been that taking up the option would harm our career.  Promotions, pay rises, and the best projects tend to go to those in direct sight of the managers, and those working from home get gradually frozen out.

New research from the Lally School of Management at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute aims to find out if that really is the case.  The study suggests that our career concerns may be somewhat overblown, and that those working remotely typically receive the same number of promotions as those working on site.

“Although telecommuting has experienced rapid growth, some workers are reluctant to try telecommuting for fear that it will hurt their career,” the researchers say. “This research helps answer that critical question: Does it hurt your career if you telecommute? My study shows that it depends heavily on the employee’s work context.”

Career success

Perhaps unsurprisingly, those telecommuters who experienced the highest success in their careers were those who worked for companies where telecommuting was commonplace.  Where it wasn’t, their careers tended to suffer.

Where things aren’t quite so rosy is in terms of the pay achieved by those working remotely.  The research observed that while promotions may be equally common in companies with a telecommuting culture, pay rises certainly aren’t.  The only caveat was if the employee showed ‘dedication’ to the organization by putting in longer hours.

The composition of one’s work week also seemed to play a part, with the volume of time spent working remotely versus in the office playing a part in one’s career outcomes.  For instance, even if an employee spent a lot of time working remotely, if they can still manage to secure significant face time with their managers, this can be hugely beneficial.

“Previous research has tended to treat all telecommuters as one homogeneous group, and my research suggests that telecommuting is not a one-size-fits-all work arrangement,” the researchers conclude. “Telecommuting arrangements are often unique, and differences in these arrangements must be understood and taken into account when determining how best to be successful. This study suggests contextual factors are especially important to consider when determining telecommuting’s effect on promotions and salary growth.”