The ability to work from home usually requires a home computer, fax machine, definitely the Internet, and discipline. Discipline is involved because it is sometimes a whole lot more attractive to work in the garage or the kitchen rather than in front of the computer. Doing laundry and cleaning the garage should not be daytime priorities for home workers.
The ability to work from home is particularly good if you live in a suburban area and your commute is long and congested. Some employers get credits for home workers, and they allow some staff members to work from home a day or two a week. In larger metro areas, they get air pollution credits for it.
To see if your employer will let you work from home, figure out what you could do at home first, and how much time it takes to do those tasks at home. Then approach your employer with a solid plan about how you could get it done more efficiently at home rather than in the office. Writing reports or proposals is usually a solitary activity, and between instant messaging, phone calls, and emails, these can be easily be done from a home office. If your job involves constant interaction with others, working from home may not be a viable option for you.