Recent years have witnessed an enormous growth of employees who work from home using computers and the Internet.

Recent years have witnessed an enormous growth of employees who work from home using computers and the Internet. Whereas some argue that it is conducive to people's productivity, opponents disagree. This essay will illustrate the merits and demerits of this new working style. On the one hand, telecommuting is advantageous in balancing staff's family and workload. Research and surveys have pointed out that lack of time with family is the major reason for employee attrition. Furthermore, remote working has been a blessing for disabled employees who are unable to move physically. Not only are they able to realize their own value, society can also benefit from this trend to save experienced skills and public budget. Another benefit is for expecting mothers. Working from home helps them work until they are full term and saves them from the trouble of commuting in public transport. Therefore, adopting and thereby encouraging work from home is effective in retaining the workforce. On the other hand, as much as distant working is advantageous to individual and society, the negative impacts on productivity should not be underestimated. Firstly modern business significantly emphasizes on communication and collaboration. A team working from different locations, undoubtedly has disadvantages in exchanging information. Secondly, if the management method shifts from traditional manager supervision to self-management, those who lack motivations might suffer from lower, effectiveness. Consequently, the entities, including government departments and commercial companies would experience low productivity. Henceforth, it can be concluded that working from home, as a new means of employment has its own pros and cons. The crux of the matter is whether the employer's trust their employees and whether the staff can manage themselves efficiently.