A common criticism surrounding telecommuting has less to do with numbers and bottom line, but one that is nonetheless critical to a healthy and profitable business. It’s the idea that telecommuting is bad for employee morale.

The argument is that by allowing certain employees to telecommute, others will be resentful, thereby creating tension in the workforce. Let’s say, for example, an employee just gave birth and wants to work from home. From a business perspective, this makes perfect sense. But certain co-workers may feel they should be afforded the same opportunity.

Make no mistake, this is a real risk, but one that can be managed. It’s an issue that should be openly addressed in employee performance reviews – after all, some employees may not want to work remotely.

Some sort of rolling telecommuting structure, in which employees rotate in and out of the office, can also help. Employees would inevitably appreciate this; administrative assistants, however, may not, given the potential for scheduling conflicts. A customized or off-the-shelf scheduling software package would be needed to help ensure that when remote workers return, their workspaces are waiting for them.