8. The many teleconference inadequacies. Oh, there are so many! Few people understand teleconference etiquette, and telecommuters spend a lot of time on conference calls. For example: the annoyance of people who lead teleconferences (with a half dozen participants) and start out by saying, "Who's here?" Doing so makes everyone on the phone wonder if it's their turn to speak up; or everyone talks at once. Instead: If this is your weekly meeting, just go around the table and take a roll call ("Joe?" "I'm here." "Steve?" "Yup." And so on.).

We could list several ways in which people could stand to improve their teleconferencing skills. (And in fact we have, in .) Here are a few more specific to telecommuting:

Being subjected to terrible music-on-hold. Worse, when you start to sing along... and that's when you suddenly find yourself belting out Kenny Loggins' songs in the middle of the teleconference. Uh... Hi, Boss!

People who send a dial-code without regard to someone's ability to read or type it in. Send 800-123-4567, please, not 8001234567.

Organizers who show up late. Telecommuters are stuck listening to music-on-hold for ten minutes, during which they wonder, "Was today the right day? Did I miss the meeting?"