by Brianna Crandall — June 6, 2014—The third annual telecommuting survey by global office supply chain Staples shows that telecommuting is increasingly attractive to employees—with 71% of telecommuters saying it is an important benefit when considering a new job. Ten percent of respondents even say they would take a salary reduction to keep the telecommuting benefit—something for employers to take note of when recruiting, points out Staples. This trend has an obvious impact on facilities managers dealing with space management and workplace arrangements as well.
Achieving a better work/life balance ranks as the number one reason employees like telecommuting (74%)—up from number two last year. Transportation savings (69%) and green benefits (47%) are also cited as top reasons.
Employees also cite reduced stress as a major telecommuting benefit (69%)—up significantly from 48% in 2013. In fact, an overwhelming majority of employees (88%) believe telecommuting is a win-win for both them and their company—and employers agree:
- 65% of employers who allow their workers to telecommute report happier employees.
- 33% of employers report less absenteeism in the workforce when telecommuting is allowed.
“When a few companies recently banned telecommuting, it sparked a debate on the benefits of such programs,” said Paul Mullen, vice president of technology solutions, Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples. “Our survey clearly shows the benefits. Not only does telecommuting lead to a happier workforce, it’s also a critical benefit to have from a recruiting standpoint. Employers who are flexible and support their staff with the tools they need to telecommute have a definite recruiting advantage.”
How to solve telecommuting challenges
The report found that even with these benefits and the growing popularity of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies (50% of organizations surveyed offer BYOD), companies are still doing a poor job of educating employees around proper security measures and equipping them with appropriate furniture:
- Only 25% of employees have been trained on data backup/security best practices.
- A full 64% of employees name a poor virtual private network (VPN) connection as their biggest tech challenge when working from home.
- Over half (58%) of employers report that their telecommuters have connectivity problems several times per month or more.
- Only 10% of employers offer furniture services to new telecommuters.
To ensure a smooth and secure telecommuting experience for employees, many experts recommend:
- Equipping the Workforce—With information technology (IT) connectivity issues a main concern, telecommuting programs should ensure easy access to e-mail, document sharing, instant messaging and video conferencing. Providing remote VPN capabilities to telecommuters is also important for easy network access.
- Employee Actions—Having employees set up lock screens is one simple step businesses can take.
- Implementing Security Measures—Encrypting device-side data by adding another layer of protection is important in the event an attacker manages to bypass a lock screen or finds a backdoor.
- Furnishing Office Spaces Appropriately—It is important to consider furniture options in telecommuting programs, from ergonomic furniture to items like desk and drawer organizers. This will help telecommuters make their home offices more productive. In addition, more and more offices are designed with telecommuting in mind. In Staples’ Workplace of the Future Design Competition, many of the finalists focused on layouts and furniture options that accommodate a more mobile workforce that telecommutes occasionally, providing open spaces that allow people to move throughout an office based on their work needs.
For the “Views on Telecommuting” survey (SlideShare presentation here), Staples conducted an online survey of 137 decision makers and 174 office workers at organizations of all sizes across the United States and Canada. The survey, conducted in March 2014, asked a series of questions about telecommuting programs, supplies and services provided, reimbursement and attitudes/behavior. Staples notes that every workplace is different, and appropriate telecommuting and security policies vary by industry and by the nature of individual jobs and employees.
Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples, Inc., serves organizations of 20 or more employees up to the Fortune 1000, helping them make more happen with more products, greater cost savings, and improved ordering efficiencies. Staples Advantage provides its customers, including global businesses, local, state and federal government, healthcare organizations and educational institutions, with a one-source solution featuring comprehensive products and services like office supplies, technology, printing, promotional products, furniture and facility supplies, along with a customized level of account support and supportive customer service.
