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>Does anyone have any convincing data that I can show my boss
>comparing the relative cost and productivity of tech writers
>working in the office and working at home?
This sort of thing gets studied and written up quite a lot
these days. One reference that comes to hand is McAlister,
"Is telecommuting practical for technical workers?", in
the Conference Record of the 1992 IEEE International
Professional Communication Conference, p. 401. See also
Ruminer, "Managing the off-site employee: quality management
principles and nontraditional structures," ibid., p. 396.
I have a few extra copies and can send you one if you'd like.
I'm not sure that relative cost goes down that much unless
the company systematically adopts telecommuting and reduces
its logistical support accordingly (i.e., less office space
and so forth).
I don't do it, myself, at least not on any significant or
formal basis; my job has gotten to be more political than
literary and requires a lot of "face time" with people, and
I'd be hard-put to get it through the lab's bureaucracy anyway.
But for some people, in some organizations, it seems to work
splendidly -- give it a look!
Joe
"Just another personal opinion from the People's Republic of Berkeley"
Disclaimer: Even if my employer had a position on the subject,
I probably wouldn't be the one stating it on their behalf.
