Out of the office: Survey finds 1 in 5 employees work remotely

NEW YORK — It’s easier to do than ever, and companies are growing more and more comfortable with the idea of it. We’re talking about working remotely, and a new survey finds that one in five workers are taking advantage of their company’s flexibility and clocking in from their home office or other remote location.

The research, commissioned by LogMeIn and their online conference service GoToMeeting, polled 3,000 office workers from America, Australia, France, Germany, India, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. While 20 percent of the participants worldwide work remotely every day, when it came to Americans, 57 percent said they have the ability to work from home if they choose to do so. And it’s somewhat surprising they’re not doing it more often: six in 10 said they feel productive when working from home.

Still, 49 percent of the respondents said they still prefer to leave their homes in the morning and work among their colleagues. Similarly, 38 percent of American workers said they preferred a conventional nine-to-five schedule at the office.

On the other hand, 63 percent agree they’re more likely to accept a job that allows remote work over a traditional schedule. In fact, three in 10 Americans would take less money to land a job with flexibility.

There are benefits and drawbacks of working remotely, of course. Remote workers don’t have to commute, and don’t have to worry about dress codes or helicopter bosses. And they get to avoid the many pitfalls that can occur in an office, such as bullying and harassment. It could be why so many who work from home feel they’re more productive and enjoy greater focus, better moods, and fewer distractions.

Of course, communication can tend to suffer, with the need for remote work and tracking apps being much more intense. But, it appears the traditional nine-to-five office jobs are changing rapidly.

“Working remotely is something many employers are allowing their employees to do. With a flexible schedule, less commute time, and less distractions, office workers are really reaping the benefits that come with remote work,” says Eduardo Cocozza, Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Collaboration at LogMeIn, in a statement.

Interestingly, despite all the advantages to working remotely, only 15 percent of Americans would want a job that required them to always log in from home. So in the end, perhaps just giving workers the option will make everyone happier all around.

“For businesses looking to grow and succeed in the future, offering work from home opportunities will be vital to their success. Even allowing employees to work from home once a week can boost productivity as well as morale,” adds Cocozza. “Long gone are the days of traditional office work in the confines of an office setting. Office workers are looking to live more environmentally friendly lives, save money on their commute, and have more flexible schedules which allow them to get more done and be more productive than if they had co-workers constantly coming up to them and distracting them in an office setting.”

The survey, conducted between June 22 and July 31, 2018, included 2,000 American office workers and 1,000 international employees.

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