According to a variety of sources, there are anywhere from 2 million to as many as 40 million workers who telecommute for at least part of their work week.  Telecommuting, or using computer technology to work from home, became a buzzword in the 1990s, but as the nation struggles with soaring gas prices, air pollution and traffic congestion, telecommuting is again appealing to many workers and employers.

At different times in my career I have been fortunate to be allowed to telecommute.  I’ve had great bosses who didn’t have to see me every day. I was evaluated on what I accomplished, not where I accomplished it at.  The office environment can get very hectic and the quietness of being at home for one to two days a week helps to work uninterrupted on big projects. 

Currently we are seeing a resurgence of telecommuting because of fuel prices.  In the mid '90s, you saw it in companies where employers were trying to keep the talent they had. There hasn’t been a decrease in telecommuting, because where it's worked, it's typically worked well.

Companies offer telecommuting for numerous reasons –

·         Reduces vehicle emissions

·         Reduces commuting cost, employees can save money in fuel costs

·         Employees can put in more hours by working during times they would ordinarily be commuting

·         Increased worker productivity with fewer interruptions

·         Improves work-life balance

·         Reduces absenteeism

·         Allow employers to keep valuable employees

In 2007 the Society for Human Resource Management conducted a study to determine how many U.S. companies offered telecommuting as a benefit to employees.  The results were eye-opening.    

Telecommuting Trends

·         56% of those polled indicated their company offered some form of telecommuting

·         33% offered telecommuting on a part-time basis

·         21% provided telecommuting on a full-time basis

Trends by Industy

Since many companies are either experiencing layoffs or keeping reducing expenses in this economy, it’s harder for managers to argue against telecommuting as they see their employees and themselves hammered by escalating fuel prices.  And it seems employers are becoming more receptive to the idea.

In fact, last month the House Speaker of the state of Georgia told state employees to start working from home one day a week as a way to fight high prices at the pump.  By telecommuting one day a week, employees can save 20 percent on their gas bill. Gas prices hit a new record last week, closing in on $4 a gallon.

Two years ago the Telework Consortium provided this analysis:

When gas is priced at $3 per gallon, it would take an employee earning $65,000 per year who commutes 40 miles roundtrip per day more than two months to pay for commuting. That is nine weeks and three days of his/her take-home pay, just to pay for a daily commute.

Quite an effective illustration, I think — even more so now that gas at $3 a gallon would have people lined up down the street.  The bottom line is, telecommuting can provide big payoffs for both the employee and the employer.