Almost two-thirds (65 per cent) of American employees said they’d be more productive working from home than in an office setting, according to a new survey by FlexJobs.
The survey, which polled more than 3,o00 Americans, found the reasons included fewer distractions (75 per cent), fewer interruptions from colleagues (74 per cent), less commuting stress (71 per cent) and less office politics (65 per cent).
“If they want to maximize their employees’ productivity, smart employers need to seriously consider the feedback from their staff that they’re being more productive outside the traditional office environment,” said Sara Sutton, founder and chief executive officer of FlexJobs, in a press release.
Read: Telecommuting most popular form of flexible working provision: survey
“People across generations and various demographics, such as working parents, freelancers, introverts, those managing chronic illnesses, caretakers and many more, may have different reasons for why they’re more productive telecommuting, but the bottom line is workers across the board say they get more work done from their home office.”
The survey also found 76 per cent of respondents would be more loyal to their employers if they were provided flexible working options. And 28 per cent said they’d take a pay cut for the ability to telecommute.
In terms of the interest in flexibility and telecommuting, 61 per cent of those surveyed said they’ve considered leaving or have left a job because it lacked flexibility, while 97 per cent said they’re interested in being a flexible worker in the long term and 83 per cent know someone who telecommutes.
Lastly, 77 per cent said having a flexible job would allow them to lead healthier lives, including eating better and exercising more, while 86 per cent said this working arrangement would decrease their stress.
Read: Workers would take pay cut, reduced vacation to work flexibly: survey