| It's been growing steadily over the past few years, but | | | | continues, and there's no reason to believe it won't, |
| the trend toward telecommuting has increased | | | | America will soon be known as a telecommuter nation, |
| significantly during the dramatic rise in gas prices. With | | | | with a majority of workers doing their jobs from home |
| gas hovering at $3.00/gallon, more and more | | | | at least one or two days a week. Many employers |
| employees are beginning to call in sick or take more | | | | have begun to see the handwriting on the wall and |
| time off because of the pinch they're feeling due to | | | | have begun offering their employees the opportunity to |
| the high cost of commuting to work every day. | | | | telecommute in order to maintain productivity levels |
| Recent figures compiled by the International Telework | | | | and to retain employees who might leave if the cost |
| Association and Council illustrate the growing | | | | of their commute began to adversely affect them |
| telecommuting trend. Their figures show that some 26 | | | | substantially enough. Part of the reason for the growth |
| million Americans work from home at least one day | | | | in telecommuting is the fact that it's becoming more |
| every month, and another 22 million do part of their | | | | socially acceptable. Where it used to be the rare |
| jobs from home a minimum of once a week.U.S. | | | | exception to the rule, it's not unusual at all to hear |
| companies are beginning to sense the cost of | | | | someone say that they're working from home several |
| employee absence, and they're also beginning to see a | | | | days a week. As the concept becomes more |
| trend toward shorter commutes. That may eventually | | | | widespread, it's likely to pick up even more steam. |
| translate into one of a couple outcomes. First, | | | | Managers used to worry about lack of control over |
| companies may be forced to move their workplaces | | | | employee productivity, but the years have proven that |
| closer to their potential workforce in able to attract and | | | | telecommuters are often more productive than their |
| keep employees in the face of increasing fuel costs. | | | | counterparts in the office. There are few distractions |
| The other alternative would be to begin allowing | | | | and they often work harder. Employees are also |
| employees to work from home, whether fulltime or on | | | | becoming less likely to devote hours of frustrating |
| a part-time basis. In states that have traditionally seen | | | | commute time to a job. The current trend is toward |
| employees making long commutes, such as California, | | | | shorter commutes or no commute at all. People simply |
| a 160-mile round trip would cost drivers about $15.00 | | | | don't want to sit in traffic or drive long distances the |
| day in $3.00/gallon gas, assuming they have a | | | | way they used to, and eventually companies will need |
| reasonably fuel efficient vehicle. An SUV or other | | | | to accommodate employee demands if they want to |
| gas-guzzling vehicle would send that total much higher. | | | | attract and keep quality people. Copyright © 2006 |
| Either way, such a long commute would take a large | | | | Jeanette J. |
| bite out of an employee's bottom line.If the trend | | | | |