PRINCETON, N.J. - New research from global market research
firm ORC International reveals that 65% of Americans believe that telecommuters
are actually productive when working from home, but not all Americans are
convinced: 29% say telecommuters working at home are mostly "goofing off."
The survey also shows that the majority of Americans are
willing to give companies that stop offering the telecommuting option the
benefit of the doubt. By a 51% to 41% margin, most Americans believe that
if a company stops allowing their employees to telecommute, it is because there
is a legitimate reason to do so and the business will run better as a result.
Business reasons aside, there are clearly perceived benefits
to telecommuting among the public, according to ORC. Overall, 43% say that
people who telecommute have a better "work-life" balance versus only 19% who
say that balance is worse for telecommuters. Additionally, 51% of those
who say they are currently full-time employed believe telecommuters have a
better work-life balance.
"Employees are inter-mixing work and personal life ?"
accelerating the end of the traditional 9 to 5 office job. For many employees,
having the option to telecommute gives more flexibility and a better work-life
balance," said Matt Roddan, head of ORC International??s U.S. Employee Research
practice. "However, it is vitally important for managers to set protocols to
ensure continuous productivity, and to establish open and regular lines of
communication in order to manage a telecommuting workforce effectively."
"Striking a work-life balance is crucial for many employees
today. With technology enabling connectivity from anywhere in the world,
employees now have more flexibility than ever. But businesses need to be
cautious- while having a telecommuting workforce can help reduce overhead costs
associated with brick and mortar operations and also help with attracting
talent, it might not be right for every business," added Jeff Resnick, global managing
director at ORC International.
"Business cycles often dictate different
workforce strategies. Until the day that virtual meetings and employee
interactions are as second nature as physical ones, there may be a need to have
employees rub elbows in the real world. Getting employees aligned to
achieve corporate goals can be tricky. Sometimes the water cooler plays a
pivotal role," he added.