Telecommuting is good for the employee, employer, and the environment. Telecommuting or “teleworking” is not a new phenomenon, but advances in technology are making it easier to accomplish for businesses of any type and size. According to a study by the Telework Research Network more than 40% of U.S. jobs could be carried out from an employee’s home. Let’s take a brief look at the three benefiting E’s of telecommuting:

Employee

There are many benefits that telecommuting has for employees including healthier eating habits, less stress, and better work-life balance. Telecommuting is so well-valued by employees that 36% of employees say they would actually prefer the option to work from home, than a pay raise.

Employer

Just as there a many benefits to a telecommuting employee, there are equally as many if not more benefits to employers who allow telecommuting as an option. Some of the benefits include a happier workforce, more dedicated employees, lower overhead costs, and more productive employees. Think about this, the average employee commutes 45 minutes each way to work, which adds 1.5 hours to the employee’s workday. While commute hours are often off the clock, you can take it to the bank that they are not off the clock in your employees mind and are sure to have an adverse effect on their mood.

Environmental

Generally an afterthought for employers considering a telecommuting option for employees, the environmental benefits of telecommuting are significant. As is easily experienced by anyone going to and from work during rush hour, a majority of Americans travel to work in a car. If the 40% of workers who are able worked from home one a day a week over 400,000 tons of greenhouse gas could be saved, which is the equivalent of 77,000 cars off the road for a year.

Telecommuting is a great way to show your employees that you value their time, trust their judgment, and are willing to work with them to make work as convenient as possible. The benefits of offering a telecommuting option are abundant, so why not consider trying it. For instance allowing employees to work from home on Wednesdays, is a great way to help them feel refreshed, have a day free from distractions, refocus outside office walls for fresh ideas, and come back Thursday with a renewed vigor to accomplish the rest of the week’s goals.

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Information and statistics for this blog from the telecommuting infographic produced the Telework Research Network.

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