Whether you're an employee looking to convince your boss of its benefits, or you're a manager who wants to make it work, a successful full-time telework arrangement begins with five important steps.

1. Have a honeymoon period for each teleworkers. Give each employee a defined period of time to adjust to the work-at-home environment. For the at-home worker, it may take some time to get used to the LACK of distractions. Meetings, coffee breaks, and co-worker chit-chat offer necessary breaks in the long work day. Work-at-home staffers can become unmotivated because they don't have social interaction. On the flip side, they can become hyperfocused and burn out.
   
   This work arrangement is not for everyone; if at the end of the honeymoon the worker is not meeting expectations, make the necessary adjustments.
   
   
2. Schedule regular, "check-in" conference calls. Telecommuters should have measurable daily or weekly goals. Scheduled conference calls can keep the employee on track and the employer in the know.
   
   
3. Include at-home employees in work (office) happenings. Just because they work from home doesn't mean they shouldn't be a part of the office environment. They should be included in company-wide email announcements, and they should be contacted when their expertise is needed for a project. They also need career growth options, including training, professional conferences/sessions, and promotions.
   
   According to a Bay Street Group survey that asked accounting professionals to list the challenges of working from a small-office or home-office, half said "isolation from peers" was the greatest challenge. The key to success, according to 56 percent, is "good communications with co-workers and clients."
   
   
4. Provide quality tech support. Telecommuters should have quality technology, including a reliable computer and network, a high-speed Internet connection, a printer/copier/fax, and all the necessary software. The Bay Street Group survey found that 64 percent who work outside a large office attribute "the right technology setup" as a secret to success.
   
   
5. Continuously improve the process. Employers who haven't had a good experience with this in the past need to look at how they can improve it for next time. Refrain from blaming the employee. The employer is just as responsible for the employee's performance when she works from home. (Managers who have had workers crash and burn as telecommuters know this all too well.) Establish a specific protocol for those who work from home.
   
   Know that the telecommuting isn't for everyone. (See Tip #1.)

For more information on how to telecommute, check out Work Naked: Eight Essential Principles for Peak Performance in the Virtual Workplace. Also, find out what CPA firm managers and practitioners have to say about telecommuting.