“I uh, I don’t like my job, and, uh, I don’t think I’m gonna go anymore.”

“Yeah, I just stare at my desk; but it looks like I’m working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch, too. I’d say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.”

You might recognize the above quotes from the 1999 movie Office Space. Hopefully these aren’t the real thoughts of people in your own office. But to many people, I’m sure the sentiment still rings true sometimes.

Not everyone is cut out for working in an office every day. But many jobs that follow a college diploma involve an office in some way or another. Why? Because that’s how it’s always been.

Tuesday’s #assnchat, led by Kiki L’Italien, focused on telecommuting for associations and the issues involved. I read the chat’s transcript (available here) Wednesday morning and found the topic especially relevant for 2009 (almost 2010!), especially with the widespread availability of technology that allows employees to work remotely.

Granted, offices are essential for interacting with your coworkers and conducting in-person meetings. But office space costs a lot of money, and allowing employees to telecommute can be an effective way to save cash. Small-staff associations could especially benefit from working remotely — since there are fewer staffers, it would require less coordination. For example, in Tuesday’s #assnchat, Debra Helwig said her entire association (a staff of six) works remotely.

The main issue employers generally have with telecommuting involves trust. Not every employee will thrive in a remote location. Many people need the structure of an office to stay productive — although it’s no secret many employees are not 100 percent productive all day, every day. Slacking can occur in the office almost as easily as it can occur at home!

You, as the employer, can’t control productivity no matter where your employees work. But here are some tips for those working with telecommuters:

1. Set clear expectations. If you, as the boss, are constantly worried about your telecommuting employees, set performance metrics. They can give you a clear sense of how much work is being accomplished and you’ll get some peace of mind, as well.
2. Don’t micromanage your telecommuters. If your remote employees thrive in an unstructured environment, let them work on their own time, as long as they meet deadlines.
3. Communication is crucial – even more so than having all employees work in an office. Use tools such as Skype (a free chat, phone and video service), instant messaging, GoToMeeting and Wikis to keep everyone updated.
4. Above all, trust your employees. Sure, maybe you won’t let your brand new hire telecommute right away. There has to be mutual trust established between employer and employee.

And for those employees who work remotely, I think Bruce Hammond said it best during Tuesday’s #assnchat:

“Four D’s of telecommuting that an employee must have: Discipline, Determination, Diligence, ability to deal with Distractions.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Explore telecommuting if you have the opportunity — even if it’s just one or two days a week. Don’t be like The Office’s Peter Gibbons: “I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it.”

(Image via Flickr.)