Larry Magid: Telecommuting An Option For BART Commuters

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— If you commute to work in the Bay Area Monday would have been a good day to stay at home. In fact, maybe you did. Monday morning's commute because of the BART strike led to traffic chaos with delays on the roadways and long lines on buses and ferries.

It wasn't as much of a problem for those who have the option of working from home.

The last time we talked about telecommuting was when Yahoo CEO Marissa Meyer announced that she was ending the company's work from home policy.

Obviously there are some jobs where you physically have to be there, but in many cases, it's not too hard to work from home. I do it everyday and have been doing it for years. Obviously you need a computer, a phone (whether it be landline or cell phone) and that's pretty much it. You used to need a fax machine, but they're pretty much obsolete.

The biggest obstacle is social. Working from home cuts you off from the workforce. I think that there are disadvantages and deficits there in terms of social and the corporate so to speak. But as far as productivity goes, I think you can be extremely productive from home.

Often times I find myself participating in videoconferencing meetings simply to reduce my travel costs and maximize my time. During a transit strike indeed it can be a very effective way for colleagues to communicate.

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