Telecommuting Builds Loyalty

From yesterday's Wall Street Journal:

A recent survey finds that workers who telecommute from home or elsewhere, while still a very small portion of the work force, report the highest levels of satisfaction with their jobs and loyalty to their employers. In the poll of about 10,000 U.S. workers, 73% of remote and home-based workers said they were satisfied with their company as a place to work, compared with 64% of office workers.

In addition, 70% of the telecommuters said they were "proud to tell people I work for my company," while only 64% of office workers agreed with that statement.  The survey was conducted by the Kenexa Research Institute, a unit of Kenexa Corp., a recruitment and retention consulting firm.

"When companies allow employees to work remotely or from home, they are explicitly communicating to them that 'I trust you to be dedicated to the accomplishment of the work, even if I'm not able to observe you doing it,' " says Jack Wiley, executive director of the institute, which is in Minneapolis.  "It boils down to respect," he says. "I respect you and I have confidence in your commitment to the work -- to do this under the conditions and at the time you feel will be most productive for you."

Andrea Coombes, Seeking Loyal, Devoted Workers? Let Them Stay Home (subscription required).

rb