Telecommuting: The Risks and Rewards

By Sam Laird2013-05-11 18:04:54 UTC

Telecommuting is on the rise. As more jobs rely on just an Internet connection, companies look to stay nimble. Workers continue striving for balance in life, and simply working from home has become an increasingly viable option for both employers and employees.

By some estimates, a full fifth of the global tech workforce telecommutes at least occasionally, and 84% of that group does so at least once per month. One projection has up to 30% of the overall American workforce telecommuting by 2019.

But, while workers consider telecommuting to be a major perk, there are risks for employers. According to one survey, 43% of employees who telecommute admit to watching TV or movies while on the clock, while 20% say they've played video games.

This data comes from research done by MySammy, an employee-monitoring product for companies. That data and more is presented in the infographic below, which delivers an interesting overview of the changing workplace. Check it out for the fuller picture.

Would you let your employees telecommute? Let us know in the comments.

Photo via iStockphoto, nyul

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