Which Workers Telecommute? You’ll Be Surprised

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The perception that most telecommuters are busy moms trying to juggle conference calls and diaper changes or 20-somethings hunched over a laptop in a coffee shop couldn’t be farther from the truth.

A new survey by Flex+Strategy Group aims to debunk the myths about remote workers.

Among the survey findings:

  • About 1 in 3 full-time workers do most of their work away from the office — for instance, at home, in a business center or in a coffee shop.
  • About 3 out of 4 remote workers are men.
  • There is no significant difference between the number of remote workers with kids and those without children.
  • Millennials don’t dominate this group. Thirty-five percent of remote workers are members of Generation Y, 30 percent are Gen X, and 30 percent are baby boomers.
  • Almost half of teleworkers say they’re more likely to get training or guidance about work and life balance versus 35 percent of office workers.

The survey found another difference between male and female workers: Among employees who do work in a traditional office, women (43 percent) are much more likely than men (27 percent) to work in a cubicle or open office space, rather than an enclosed office.

Cube/open office space workers also far outnumbered any other group in reporting that their employer controls their work/life flexibility.

The Flex+Strategy Group said its survey findings are important in dispelling lingering misconceptions about who works where. Maybe this survey could help open employers’ eyes to a new work reality that could improve the performance and well-being of both their business and employees.

Are you surprised by the telecommuting survey results? Share your thoughts or remote worker experiences below or on our Facebook page.

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