Point/Counterpoint:  Does "Face-Time" Matter?

Point

Although allowing employees to work from home is gaining popularity, telecommuting is a practice that will only hurt them and their employers. Sure, employees say they're happier when their organization allows them the flexibility to work wherever they choose, but who wouldn't like to hang around at home in their pajamas pretending to work? I know plenty of colleagues who say, with a wink, that they're taking off to "work from home" the rest of the day. Who knows whether they are really contributing?

The bigger problem is the lack of face-to-face interaction between employees. Studies have shown that great ideas are born through interdependence, not independence. It's during those informal interactions around the water cooler or during coffee breaks that some of the most creative ideas arise. If you take that away, you stifle the organization's creative potential.

Trust is another problem. Ever trust someone you haven't met? I didn't think so. Again, face-to-face interactions allow people to establish trusting relationships more quickly, which fosters smoother social interactions and allows the company to perform better.  But enough about employers. Employees also would benefit by burning the midnight oil at the office. If you're out of sight, you're out of mind. Want that big raise or promotion? You're not going to get it if your supervisor doesn't even know who you are.

So think twice the next time you either want to leave the office early or not bother coming in at all, to "work from home."

Counterpoint

Please. So-called "face-time" is overrated. If all managers do is reward employees who hang around the office the longest, they aren't being very good managers. Those who brag about the 80 hours they put in at the office (being sure to point out they were there on weekends) aren't necessarily the top performers. Being present is not the same thing as being efficient.

Besides, there are all sorts of benefits for employees and employers who take advantage of telecommuting practices. For one, it's seen as an attractive perk companies can offer. With so many dual-career earners, the flexibility to work from home on some days can go a long way toward achieving a better balance between work and family. That translates into better recruiting and better retention. In other words, you'll get and keep better employees if you offer the ability to work from home.

Plus, studies have shown that productivity is higher, not lower, when people work from home. And this result is not limited to the United States. For example, one study found that Chinese call center employees who worked from home out-produced their "face-time" counterparts by 13 percent. You say all these earth-shattering ideas would pour forth if people interacted. I say, consider that one of the biggest workplace distractions is chatty co-workers. So, although I concede there are times when "face-time" is beneficial, the benefits of telecommuting far outweigh the drawbacks.

1. Take a stand on this issue.  In a few sentences explain why you agree with either the Point or Counterpoint stance and why. Use an outside source (i.e., news article, video, or similar) to back up your point of view.