This is a terrific question. Since starting my consulting in 1982, I have probably spent more time talking employers OUT of telecommuting than into it. While I am a strong advocate, I also firmly believe it's a great solution only in the right situation.

Here are some thoughts on the negatives:

• It is definitely not for everyone. Force the wrong kind of person into this and his/her performance will drop;
• There is a gap between what many employees think telecommuting is and what it actually is; that's why prospective telecommuters need a realistic preview of the good and bad parts to be able to make an informed decision;
• It's costly - at least initially. No matter what longer-term benefits exist (and there are many) you still need to come up with some up-front money to fund equipment investment, phone bills, etc.;
• It's a challenge (at least initially) for most managers - especially they would rather continue dealing with people face-to-face. It upsets their status quo, no matter how beneficial it might be to them;
• There are some people (I'm not among them) who feel it will contribute to urban sprawl, contribute to the decline of our cities, add to, not reduce, pollution, and so on.