I was interested to note one of the findings of the sixth annual National Technology Readiness Survey in the USA: "despite 25 percent of respondents citing supportive employer telecommuting policies or jobs that would allow work from home, only 11 percent are doing so".
Nope, they'd rather drive…
The automobile is the dominant form of transportation, relied on by 91 percent of full and part-time workers with commutes. Other modes include: ride sharing or carpooling (4 percent), mass transit or public transportation (3 percent), walking or biking (2 percent), and other methods (1 percent). The median commuting time is 20 minutes one way (i.e., half have commutes at or below 20, and half are at or above this number). A third of workers (32 percent) have commutes of 10 minutes or less, while 17 percent commute more than 30 minutes one way. Among those who drive or carpool, the median miles driven one way is 10. A fifth (22 percent) drive more than 20 miles one way.
But why not?
I think this is an accurate observation by Charles Colby of Rockbridge Associates:
"It seems the professional and social environment of the workplace wins out over money and time savings… Though a fourth of the population could be working from home, most American workers still choose the office environment for the majority of their work week."
I used to telecommute several days per week and I loved the benefits – but by the time MLSP arrived home at the end of the day I'd be bouncing off the walls like a rubber ball, stir-crazy from lack of social contact. But that's a minor drawback and if I had the option to work from home again, I'd take it in a flash. For one thing I don't think I've achieved such high levels of focus and productivity at any other time in my working life.
Pros and cons
The report recognises that while there are a number of upsides to telecommuting, neither is it a panacea:
First, the typical commute is perhaps not that bad (10 miles and 20 minutes one way), reducing the incentive to change work habits to telecommute; second, only a fourth of jobs could ultimately involve telecommuting (not everyone works in an office), and more than half of these would require a change of policy by the employer; and finally, most individuals who might choose to telecommute would only do so for a day or two per week, and only a fraction would consider it as a full-time option.
But it's funny, with all the hoo-hah lately about oil prices, you'd reckon more people would take up telecommuting. But no, most drivers seem to be stuck in the "What can I do? I've got to drive…" attitude. Sad, isn't it?