Watching CNN this morning, I was listening to a commentator on economy say that the only way to lower the price of oil, is to "get off the road". I agree, but I don't think our country's business world is ready to accept that. We have thousands of independent truckers out there sucking up a bulk of our fuel consumption. Also, employers are expecting employees to travel further and further from their homes, in most areas where public transportation does not facilitate travel to and from these jobs. Instead I see on Good Morning America this morning, Diane Sawyer and friends, promoting the riding of bikes, in the middle of New York City. Now I applaud that they promote something like this, but it does not solve business travel solutions for people all over America, who don't have the luxury of living only blocks from their job.
Now this brings up one more argument for the advocacy of telecommuting. We have been wired to the Internet for years now, yet, employers still expect us to show up at work and be under their watching eyes, in order to ensure that work is being done. No all control issues aside, isn't most good work assessed on production and not presence? That is the one thing missing from our national business model. If I can get ten times more work done from home, and produce more from there rather than in an office located hours from home, wouldn't that be not only production efficient, but also more energy efficient. Why can't our jobs be located blocks from our homes? Why can't we work from home? Shouldn't I be able to select from multiple jobs, within a reasonable biking distance from home, whether I live in downtown Manhattan or small town America?
These are answers that corporate America needs to answer. Stop expecting your economic support structure to support you, and support the structure. We can't afford this anymore.
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