Online business management tools like TransparentBusiness.com enable
professionals to complete their tasks freely, with flexible hours and
without commuting to an office. So, what is this new worker in the
digital era like?
1- He works from his house, the
beach, a bar or wherever he wants, without having to spend time and
money to commute to an office. 60% of workers believe that it is no
longer necessary to share physical space with their colleagues.
2- She is master of her own time,
which makes her happy. 78% of managers believe that flexibility at work
helps retain and motivate the most important executives on their team.
Working from home, workers can regain two whole weeks of free time every
year, the amount of time lost commuting to the office.
3- He is friendly to the environment. Just
one day of telecommuting per week could reduce contaminating gas
emissions by 423 thousand tons, which is the equivalent of removing 77
thousand cars from the roads over the course of one year.
4- She has a much fairer balance between personal life and working life. 80% of workers believe there is room for improvement in this field.
5- Women can raise their children without having to abandon their professional life. In 1962, only 37.7% of American women were employed while now, in 2012, 58% of the female population in the United States works.
6- He is more productive. 65%
of telecommuters are more productive than the employees working in an
office, in addition to the fact that 76% of telecommuters are more
willing to work overtime.
7- She leads a healthier lifestyle. She
eats home-cooked meals, avoids “office snacks” and exercises more
regularly. 73% of telecommuters affirm that they have healthier eating
habits when they work from home.
8- He is less stressed. 75%
of workers believe that their job is stressful, and 25% believe that it
is in fact the most stressful thing in their lives. On the other hand,
telecommuters are able to reduce their stress by 25%.
9- She doesn’t waste time wondering what to wear every morning. A
study presented by the newspaper The Telegraph upholds that women spend
on average 16 minutes every morning trying to decide what clothes to
put on for work, which adds up to 5 hours spent in front of the closet
every month.
10- He wears his slippers much more often, which makes him happy. Or,
at least, that’s what Harvard University leads us to believe in their
10 Suggestions to Attain Happiness, where they recommend wearing
comfortable shoes.
There
is no doubt as to the many advantages telecommuting brings to the world
of work. It makes employees happy and improves results and
productivity. Not to mention that it reduces spending and environmental
impact. These advantages impact both workers and companies, so the
happiness is mutual.
Sources: Cisco Global Workplace Study, 2010. IDC Worldwide Mobile Worker Population 2009-2013 Forecast. IPSOS, Telecommuting, November 2011. Workshifting.com.
