As the topic of telecommuting becomes fodder for discussion and debate following Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer’s decision to end the practice at the California-based company, a new survey indicates that most employees and more than half of business leaders believe telecommuting can be beneficial.
According to the second annual telecommuting survey from Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples Inc., 93% of employees polled agree that telecommuting programs benefit both employee and employer. Also, 53% of business leaders surveyed say telecommuting leads to more productive employees.
The survey also found that 75% of business decision-makers notice happier employees in a telecommuting-friendly environment, while 37% said allowing the practice has resulted in lower absenteeism. On the employee side, 48% of those who work from home report being less stressed, compared with 25% who said the same in last year’s survey.
At the same time, the survey results suggest that there are areas where employers can better support employees who work from home. Of employees surveyed, for example, 33% say dealing with IT issues remotely is one of the most difficult aspects of telecommuting. Also, 48% of telecommuters surveyed say they use furniture or technology that is not ergonomically sound, which leads to discomfort and loss of productivity.