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Her home office is equipped with a computer, Internet connection and a strong link to her employer’s remote com- puter to allow her to access files she needs She contacts clients and co-workers via e-mail. The occasional meeting can also be attended in the form of virtual conferenc- ing. “"1 find I'm more productive not hav ing to worry about getting to work or being frustrated by the drive,” she said Rachelle Waterman teleworks from her home in Keswick at least once a month instead of making the commute to New- market. The marketing co-ordinator for Smart Commute Central York said working from home enables her to get more work done without distraction and gives her extra time to attend to tasks without taking the time to make the drive. "It is definitely a great solution,” she said. “I don't have as many distractions, like conversations going on in the office.” The Toronto Board of Trade has pegged the average GTA commute at 80 minutes, worse than that of Los Angeles, and com: muter relief in the near future isn't likely ‘ with the province asking Metrolinx to delay $4 billion in transit spending for the next five years, which could impact the Viva bus lane project across the region and the sub- way extension into York. BY TERESA LATCHFORD tlatchford@yrmg.com Teleworking could be key to the solution for commuting woes. Supporters tout telecommuting to ease road congestion SUN-TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO Commuting in the GTA takes longer than other major urban centres, including Los Angeles, a new report reveals. Many Whitchurch-Stouffville residents know the routine well. TRANSIT: Work from home and avoid long commute While the idea is attractive as an occa- sional option, employers may shy away from the idea to set up their employees to work from home because it also doesn’t allow for monitoring of the worker and the position may require a physical presence in the office. While Rotman Graduate School of Manâ€" agement assistant professor )ohn 'Il‘ouga- kos agrees businesses have to become cre- ative to deal with the shortcomings of the current commute and lack of investment in public transit, hewams telecommuting isn’t the ideal solution for everyone. “We do have the technology to allow us to work from home, but the modem work environment has been leaning toward team-based work," he said. “Telecommut- ing doesn’t allow for that." Teleworking is touted by Smart Com- mute as a piece of the solution for local congestion. Fewer interruptions, less absenteeism, flexible work hours and the elimination of commuting time can increase employee productivity, she added. According to an article in Workforce Management, 70 per cent of Hewlett Packard's employees in the United States have the flexibility to telework, also known as telecommuting, on a full-time basis and the employees surveyed reported feeling healthier, less stressed and more produc- tive as a result. work from home more often in the winter because my commute on a bad day triples and I lose time in the work day.” lt poses problems for employees as well "The stress of a long commute and the small things that happen during (the drive), like someone cutting you off, deplete your ability to focus, decreasing “The commute is a major problem and we know it’s a problem," he said. “But we haven't done much about it." In the early stages on his study of how a long commute affects the productivity of an average employee, he suspects he'll find those with a longer commute report feeling drained when they arrive at work. However, with the transit budget cuts, businesses will have to get creative, per- haps offering four 10-hour shifts with three day weekends. ‘I find I’m more productive not having to worry about getting to work or being frustrated by the drive.’ as it blurs the line between work and home life, adds the distraction of family members and cuts the social aspect of the work envi- ronment. Although it could be one piece of the commute solution puzzle, the ideal answer would be to get people out of their cars and onto a reliable transit system, Mr. Trouga- kos said. Rachelle Waterman Smart Commute Central York “I would prefer to see many more towns and small cities develop their own down- town core," he said. “More people are likely to stay and work close to home if the busi- ness sector is fully developed.” Towns should lean toward living in com- pact, high density areas with mixed use structures that promote living and working in the same spot. “There are creative positions where ideas are developed through conversation with co-workers," he said. “About 10 per cent of the workforce does it from home, but I doubt we would be able to increase that to 20 or 30 per cent because the work doesn't allow it." Satellite offices are more likely. he sug- gested. Having five employees working out of a small office and teleconferencing with the head oflice in Toronto seems to be more realistic, although it does mean more cost to rent the extra office. The idea of teleworking should be pur- sued for those whose work allows, said Rotman School of Management professor Anil Verma. The only difficulty is Ontario has turned to a thriving service economy, which doesn’t allow employees to work from home. He has no doubt a long commute takes an emotional and physical toll on the well- being of employees and, in turn, directly affects the employer. productivity,” he said. “Not only that, but, at the end of the day, employees rush to get out a little early to beat the rush."