How The Remote Workforce Is Changing
October 10, 2011 by Kevin Michael Gray
Is it just me or does it seem like everyone works from home now of days. Maybe not everyone but definitely more people than the days of old. Today's featured article comes from Mashable.com and discusses the rampant home office epidemic. Read more below:
As advances in technology have made it a practical possibility for millions, remote working has increased dramatically over the last decade.
While once working from home was considered a bit of a novelty, we argue that it is now so mainstream it’s more interesting to consider how the remote workforce is changing.
Mashable spoke to human resources professionals and other experts to get some interesting insight on this subject. Have a read below and let us know in the comments how you see the remote workforce changing — now and in the future.
1. It’s Growing
The remote workforce has grown rapidly over the past decade, but the recession has had an impact. In a recent press release, the WorldatWork organization revealed that for the first time since 2003, the number of people who worked remotely for one day per month dropped. The U.S. teleworking population in 2010 was estimated at 26.2 million — nearly 20% of the U.S. adult working population.
However, the percentage of people who remote work more often than once per month increased. WorldatWork says 84% of teleworkers did so one day per week or more in 2010, up from 72% in 2008.
Susan Bergman, MA, SPHR, The Society for Human Resource Management’s director of the Knowledge Center, comments on the current state of remote working. “I see a trend toward more employees working remotely; this is supported by recent SHRM surveys. A December 2009 SHRM poll revealed that 52% of companies provide ‘virtual work options’ for their employees or scenarios that allow for work away from the company premises, and 22% anticipated an increase in the number of employees working remotely over the next year.”
And while workers and companies both see the benefit in remote working, the figures will continue to grow.
“Telework or remote work is one aspect of workplace flexibility. Employers are finding that telework and other flexible work arrangements are effective tools in attracting younger employees who appreciate greater flexibility and to recruit remote workers from a wider talent pool,” says Susan Bergman.
“It’s not just younger workers who want to work remotely; it’s attractive to busy parents, workers nearing retirement and workers in metro areas where commuting is very time consuming,” she says.
