Employees who work from home or other remote location are doing so more often than they have in the past but the overall number of teleworkers has declined, finds a recent survey. The teleworking population in 2010 was 26.2 million, down from 33.7 million in 2008. Teleworkers represented nearly 20% of the U.S. adult working population, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
There are several reasons, including a high unemployment rate, for the drop in the number of people teleworking, explains Rose Stanley, work-life practice leader for WorldatWork, which conducted the survey.
With the massive layoffs that took place during the recession, employees who had been teleworking may have felt threatened and therefore increased their "face time" at the office. Direct managers and supervisors, meanwhile, "probably felt the same way and said, 'Let's have you come back in so we can show management we're here and being productive,'" says Stanley.
She predicts that as the recession and unemployment ebb, the number of teleworkers will grow again.
While the total number of teleworkers decreased, the percentage of people who telework more often than once a month increased. In 2010, 84% of teleworkers did so one day a week or more, up from 72% in 2008.
The typical teleworker is a 40-year-old, male college graduate who works from home. "Home" maintained its top position as the most common location for teleworking in 2010. Interestingly, the survey found employee and manager training on teleworking arrangements lacking, with 83% reporting their employer gives no training to employees on how to be successful in a teleworking arrangement. Seventy-nine percent, meanwhile, report no training for managers.
Senior management buy-in is often cited as an obstacle to flexible work arrangements, as is managers' perceived need for face time with their employees. Training - for everyone - can help alleviate those two biases, says Stanley. "We don't just say, 'Train the managers,' but train the employees, even the ones not using the flexible work arrangement because everybody plays a role in it somehow."
Cultural shifts don't happen overnight
"It's very difficult for organizations to say, 'We're going to start this s[teleworking program] full force' if they've never had anything in place before because people need to change mindsets, which is a cultural shift, and that doesn't happen overnight," says Stanley. "More organizations are seeing validity in flexible work arrangements and telework, and once they see there is some success - and that some of the biases they had in terms of face time or people taking advantage of it don't ring true - then they start to feel more comfortable with it and open it up a bit more."
In a new survey question this year, employees were asked whether, in their organizations, being allowed to work remotely is considered more of a right or a reward. Nearly one in three viewed it as a reward or employee benefit.
"Employees perceive it as a benefit because it is being offered to them as part of that total rewards package," says Stanley. "From an employer standpoint - if you're offering it in a formal, policy-driven way - it is more of a business strategy."
The Telework 2011 research combines data from two surveys - a survey of 537 employers on their workplace flexibility arrangements and a survey of 1,002 employees on teleworking.
For employers interested in expanding their telework programs or starting one from scratch, Stanley says there are a number of factors to consider. "Even if they have not done anything formally, most employers are doing something for some employees informally," she says. "Once you see that start to happen, it starts to grow."
She suggests managers and employees negotiate a business deal. "If it comes from an employee, they should have in place the business reason for why it's good for the business and how it benefits the employer," she says. "Don't just say, 'It's going to benefit me as an employee because gas prices are astronomical.' That may be true but, on the other hand, add to that how it's going to benefit the employer."
If an employee is able to build a business case that is either positive or neutral, then the business should look at it, says Stanley. Start small with a pilot program and "keep feeding information to senior management so it starts to grow."
Telecommuters report more happiness and health
Want more productive employees? Send them home. According to a recent survey from Staples Advantage, 86% of telecommuters say they are more productive in their home office. They also say their stress levels have dropped 25% on average since working from home, while 73% report they eat healthier when working from home.
Without the trek to the office - on average, a 75-mile round-trip for the survey's 140 respondents - 76% of telecommuters are more willing to put in extra time on work and say they are more loyal to their company since they started telecommuting. More than 80% say they now maintain a better work-life balance.
Other findings from the survey include:
* The majority (96%) relies on email to stay connected to the office, while 68% use instant messaging and 44% use videoconferencing.
* More than two-thirds of telecommuters surveyed said they didn't receive any IT security training in preparation for home office work.
* Nearly one in three say they never back up their data.
Those surveyed were so happy with their telecommuting arrangement that 40% said they would take a pay cut rather than stop working from home.
