Telework Connects with Workers

According to a national survey of 1,000 adults conducted by Opinion Research Corporation on behalf of Cox Business Services (a telecommunications provider), most teleworkers (75%) are remote teleworkers who check their e-mail and do work outside the office under less structured teleworking arrangements, while 25% are dedicated teleworkers working a committed work schedule from a home office with equipment provided by their employers.

Significantly, 61% of the individuals surveyed cite more time with family and helping the environment (50%) among the benefits of teleworking. The report defined teleworkers as people who do some form of work away from the office, work from home, or have a combination of remote and onsite work habits.

Out of Sight?

Seventy percent of teleworkers surveyed – and two-thirds of their managers – believe that teleworking improves productivity. More than half (52%) of all teleworkers claim they feel a stronger sense of loyalty to their employer due to their teleworking arrangement.

“Workers now consider themselves more in control of their work-life balance than ever before,” said Mark Goldstein, teleworking expert with the International Research Center. “Telework offers the option to see your kids off to school while still checking e-mail at the office. Americans no longer have to choose work or life when they can have both.”

Remote teleworkers tend to be men in their mid-to-late 20s and 30s, while dedicated teleworkers tend to be women in their mid-to-late 30s and 40s with children under 12 at home. Both types of teleworkers are well-educated, high earners (income of $50K+), in dual-income households. Over half (53%) of teleworkers are teleworking three or more days per week, and one in six are teleworking strictly outside of business hours.