Telecommuting is on the rise. A 2009 Forrester Research study projects the number of home workers to increase by 65% by 2016. Many executives are contemplating the impacts of allowing part of the workforce to work from home. What results can be expected allowing employees to work offsite? Would productivity increase? Recent research suggests that it can, with support from the office.
A May 2011 survey conducted by Staples Advantage, a business-to-business (B2B) division of Staples, Inc., shows how telecommuters feel about working from home. The study uncovered common technology issues, home office furniture and equipment problems, and how working at home benefits workers’ lives. According to the findings, employee morale and productivity are not sacrificed by allowing telecommuting at work – but assistance is required.
Of the 140+ respondents, nearly 86% claimed that they are more productive when working at home. Nearly three out of four say they eat better and maintain better health; all respondents ranked stress levels, which averaged 25% lower at home than working on site.
Without the average 75-mile commute to work, 76% of respondents reported a willingness to put in extra time, along with a greater sense of loyalty for the company. Working from home also benefits the nearly 80% who maintain a better work/life balance.
Telecommuters are willing to sacrifice pay for the opportunity to work out of the house: 74% said they would accept a two to five percent pay cut, while 20% would take a pay reduction of 10% to stay working from home. With the price gas rising steadily, home workers expect to recover much of the loss in pay.
Setting up a comfortable home office in which the employee is productive is essential. The study showed concerns about furniture and equipment. Most workers (87%) provide their own office furniture, while 60% supply their own equipment. Fifty-seven percent use their own supplies to conduct work-related responsibilities.
According to the report, three important considerations for home workers:
- Maintain orderly workspace – nearly 50% claimed that clutter hinders their productivity.
- Seating comfort – 44% rated their office chair a C-grade or lower.
- Ergonomics assistance – only 1% claimed they received ergonomic support when setting up a home office.
Responses to technology questions revealed daily communication habits, along with two significant areas of concern. In addition to Internet access and connection to company networks, telecommuters reported the following:
- Communication tools – 96% rely on email daily, 68% use instant messaging systems, 44% use videoconferencing, and 25% are connected with unified communication technologies, like Skype.
- Data security – Over two-thirds reported receiving no IT security training when they setup the home office.
- Data backup – Almost 33% say they never back up data.
Although working from home can lead to increased productivity, it can backfire for workers who cannot manage work time vs. home life. But for those who become more efficient with their workload by reducing distractions and commuting time, offering telecommuting (at least part-time) can provide your company with lower costs and higher returns.
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