Telecommuting in Southern California in 1995

Research on the telecommuting practices of employers and commuters in Southern California was conducted to better understand how individuals and organizations make decisions about telecommuting practices and policies and the characteristics of workers who telecommute and those who do not. Findings were used to guide marketing activities aimed at promoting telecommuting to employers in Southern California. Responses from the survey of 350 employers and 700 commuters revealed that telecommuting is found at 15 percent of firms with 20 or more employees and that employers allow telecommuting to help employees balance the demands of work and home while increasing productivity. Stimulating greater use of telecommuting requires an awareness of the impediments perceived by individuals and, more important, by organizations that manage how work gets done. For example, concerns for the fit of telecommuting with jobs poses the largest obstacle for greater use of telecommuting, although survey responses indicate that the jobs held by telecommuters are much different than those of employees working in the office. Employers also consider the need to provide equipment to telecommuters as an impediment to having employees work from home although many telecommuters are not provided with equipment by their employers. Research findings provided valuable data to identify employers with potential for telecommuting and focus precious resources and guide the development of materials, training programs, presentations, and sales tools.