Telework Revs Up as Employers Offer Work Flexibility

The number of U.S. employees who worked remotely at least one day per month increased 39 percent the past two years, from approximately 12.4 million in 2006 to 17.2 million in 2008, according to WorldatWork, the global human resources association that studies telework as a tool to attract, motivate and retain employees. In its survey brief Telework Trendlines™ 2009, WorldatWork reports that the sum of all teleworkers – employees, contractors and business owners – has risen 17 percent from 28.7 million in 2006 to 33.7 million in 2008.

In the five-year period since 2003, the total number of once-a-month telecommuters in the U.S. has risen 43 percent — from 23.5 million to 33.7 million Americans. “Our study shows that occasional telework has risen dramatically,” said Rose Stanley, work-life practice leader at WorldatWork. “Employers seem more willing to try new ways of working. We receive calls on a daily basis from employers wanting to learn how to pilot a telework program, the do’s and don’ts of managing virtual workers, and how to use telework to reward and motivate talent.”

Key Findings

1. The number of employee telecommuters in the U.S. increased 39 percent, from 12.4 million in 2006 to 17.2 million in 2008.
2. The sum of all teleworkers – employees, contractors and business owners –climbed 17 percent from 28.7 million in 2006 to 33.7 million in 2008; 43 percent from 2003 to 2008.
3. There is a shift away from full-time telework to occasional telework: the number of employed teleworkers who work remotely at least once a month grew while the number of those who work remotely almost every day decreased slightly.
4. The most common locations for remote work are home (87 percent), a customer’s place of business (41 percent) and car (37 percent). Restaurants and libraries are becoming less common locations for telecommuting.
5. 61 percent of employed respondents who are not currently working remotely but feel they could said they are unwilling to give up some pay in exchange for being allowed to telecommute.

To access a full copy of the survey report, visit www.workingfromanywhere.org.