Many Americans Would Consider Pay Cut to Work Remotely, Survey Says
Nearly 75 percent of all workers want the freedom to work remotely from home or somewhere else away from the office, yet most workers don’t have the option. This desire is so strong that 1 in 5 workers are willing to relinquish 5 percent of their salary to work offsite 1-2 days a week, according to a report on workplace trends issued by Citrix Online, a division of Citrix Systems, Inc. The survey findings illustrate the paradox between what businesses and workers perceive to be important to success and the realities of the workplace.
According to survey results, flexible hours are deemed most essential to having a successful business in the future, and rated higher by a significant margin than health insurance benefits. Small business owners are more than 4 times as likely as others to be able to work remotely “all the time.” But more than 25 percent still believe job duties demand that employees be in the office. While many bosses still don’t like the idea of employees working offsite, approximately one third of bosses in the U.S. are receptive to having employees participate virtually by phoning in to meetings.
Business advantages aside, a location independent working environment can take some getting used to, as council members attest. “When we launched our company, working full-time from home or elsewhere wasn’t an option,” said pollster and political commentator Kellyanne Conway, whose firm conducted the three-country survey. “Even today, we benefit from having an actual office with staffers and an infrastructure. However, I essentially work full-time from home and spend a lot of time on the road-I’m with my family, I’m there for my clients and I’m fully productive.”
Freedom from rigid office hours by having more control over schedules is what employers and employees like most about Web commuting--even more than saving time and money on transportation, the survey revealed. Female entrepreneurs are 50 percent more likely to allow Web commuting from home compared to their male counterparts.
“Every company, particularly in the small and mid-sized business space (SMB), is looking for ways to do more with less, and Web Commuting offers a huge advantage,” said Gene Marks, noted small business consultant and author, and member of the Worldwide Workplace Council. “I know this from experience-at my own company, we shut down our office and now everybody works from home, or wherever they happen to be. We spend more time with family, and we’re much more productive. On a personal note, I’ve never had to send an ’out-of-office’ message.”
“From our experience developing online technologies that enable Web commuting, we understand the huge impact this practice is having on every aspect of work and life,” said Brett Caine, general manager of Citrix Online. “It gives individuals the ability to be equally productive whether they’re in the office or a continent away, just as it gives companies the ability to change the economics of their business, by slashing infrastructure costs and hiring the best talent regardless of where they live.”
Source: Citrix Online; www.citrixonline.com.
Reprinted with permission. © CCH
(Submitted May 20, 2009)
<p>Nearly 75 percent of all workers want the freedom to work remotely from home or somewhere else away from the office, yet most workers don’t have the option. This desire is so strong that 1 in 5 workers are willing to relinquish 5 percent of their salary to work offsite 1-2 days a week,</p>
/news/alerts/many_americans_would_consider_pay_cut_to_work_remotely_survey_says.aspx