FEATURED ARTICLE

Contract or freelance work is no longer seen as an occupational hiccup for those who may be between jobs. "It becomes a real lifestyle decision." Ed McKersie, founder and president of Pro Search Inc.

The Y2K bug was not the pest everyone thought it was going to be, wreaking havoc on computers because of a few missing date digits. The millennium came and went with neither technological whimper nor systematic bang. Yet, as the new century dawned, some companies for the first time were relying on outside, contractual information technology help. The growth spurt in many ways influenced today's IT labor pool, said Ed McKersie, founder and president of Pro Search Inc., a Portland-based employment center for professionals in Maine and New Hampshire. The more contractors, he said, the more the in-house experts with a steady job could envision their colleague's personal or professional freedom.

Contract work vs. full-time work. The pros and cons of each have sparked a running debate that has no signs of ending with market ups and downs and the greater use of technology to make anyone's office a mobile work place.

Full-time employment offers its own sense of security, from health insurance coverage to profit sharing, but McKersie notes that contract or freelance work is no longer seen as an occupational hiccup for those who may be between jobs.

"It becomes a real lifestyle decision," said McKersie.

Pro Search advises IT professionals seeking work that contractual employees, though seemingly a contradiction in terms, can get vacation and holiday pay, training, and bonuses. McKersie's firm, which also helps place employees in accounting and financial sectors, reports that many of its contract employees enjoy being able to work with various, talented teams at different companies. Some see it as a way to keep their skills fresh. Pro Search helps people find contract work, contract-for-hire opportunities, and permanent placements.

Work from anywhere

Technology is transforming the office in more ways than one. The greater availability of high-speed Internet connections and a range of high-tech gadgets, from cell phones to personal digital assistants, is making it easier for employees to complete their work from anywhere.

An estimated 45.1 million Americans did some type of work from home in 2005, according to ITAC, The Telework Advisory Group for WorldatWork, a nonprofit professional association based in Scottsdale, Ariz. The group is dedicated to compensation, benefits and rewards as they relate to attracting, retaining and motivating employees. That number is only about a 2 percent increase from 2004, but the number of people who are full-time employees and are allowed to work from home at least one day a month increased by 30 percent to 9.9 million, researchers found.

An estimated 22.2 million people work from home at least once a week. Of the 45.1 million people who did some type of work at home, 20.6 million said they work from their car and 24.3 million said they worked at a client's or customer's place of business. Another 15.1 million said they work from a park or outdoor location, 16.3 million said they work while on vacation, and 7.8 million said they work while on a train or airplane.

"Clearly we've seen growth in this area," said Robert Smith, director of The Telework Advisory Group for WorldatWork. "It's really become how to work from anywhere."

Ten or 20 years ago, employees were really just starting to be offered the option or alternative of working one or two days from home, Smith said. Despite the technological evolution, some companies still operate in what Smith calls a 20th-century style of management - namely, that department heads are keeping a close eye on their workers - when they check in, when they leave, how many TPS reports they can file or how many widgets they can produce. "Regrettably, there's still too much of that going on," Smith said.

Even so, he acknowledges that teleworking is not for everyone and that is requires a certain level of independence and discipline. The flexibility of teleworking can help companies attract the brightest and retain their help, according to Smith. He cited reports that mobile offices are spurring productivity. "It's just good business sense for everyone," he said.

McKersie at Pro Search sounded a similar note, suggesting that work place flexibility has allowed for better retention rates. Technology creates certain options and advantages, said McKersie. He recounted how his company helped recruit some IT professionals for 12-month contracts in Maine. Once arrived, some of these contractors rented a seaside or island house to truly enjoy all that Maine has to offer, from the business world to Vacationland pleasures.

Most IT workers Pro Search finds placements for in Maine come from out of state, according to McKersie. "There's an awful lot of talent who would love to be here," he said.