Home and Office - Workers Want It All

    NEW YORK, July 19 /PRNewswire/ -- While only 23 percent of U.S.
 employees work from home or are given that option, most of the work force
 (59 percent) believes that telecommuting at least part-time is the ideal
 work situation. This includes the 38 percent who think a mix of coming into
 the office and working from home is preferable and the 21 percent who say
 working at home is the best. These findings come from a new Hudson survey
 on worker productivity.
     Even among workers who are not given the choice, half report that
 working away from the office at least sometimes would be their preference.
 But those who have the option of clocking in from home take advantage of it
 when they can - 38 percent work from home a minimum of once a week. Just 20
 percent rarely or never choose this option.
     "As competition for talent heats up, employers will be forced to
 consider alternative retention tactics such as permitting telecommuting,"
 according to Peg Buchenroth, managing director, compensation and benefits,
 Hudson Highland Group. "While this is not feasible in all situations, most
 employees want the flexibility to be able to get work done without going
 into the office at least every once in a while."
     Despite technologies that allow employees to put in time while heading
 to and from work, three-quarters (73 percent) rarely or never get work done
 during their commute. However, only 57 percent of entrepreneurs say the
 same. This group is twice more likely than all workers to accomplish
 work-related tasks at least once a week during their commute (22 percent
 compared to 11 percent).
     Nevertheless, workers realize the value of in-person communication. A
 resounding 83 percent of the work force indicates that face-to-face
 meetings are the most productive. Only 10 percent of employees believe that
 virtual meetings (held over the telephone or online) get more done. When
 given the choice of just phone or email for an important conversation, most
 workers (59 percent) choose telephone; 26 percent prefer electronic
 communication.
     Other survey findings include:
 
     - Managers are more likely than non-managers to have the option of
       telecommuting (20 percent compared to 10 percent).
     - While 29 percent of all employees work from home more than once a week,
       the figure rises to 40 percent among workers with children at home.
     - Nearly two in five (37 percent) entrepreneurs consider always working
       from home to be the ideal work situation.
     The Hudson productivity survey is based on a national poll of 1,911
 U.S. workers conducted July 6-10, 2006 and was compiled by Rasmussen
 Reports, LLC, an independent research firm (www.RasmussenReports.com). The
 margin of sampling error for a survey based on this number of interviews is
 approximately +/-2 percent with a 95 percent level of confidence. A more
 detailed data report is available at www.hudson-index.com.
     Hudson, one of the world's leading professional staffing, outsourcing
 and talent management solutions providers, also publishes the Hudson
 Employment Index(SM), a monthly measure of the U.S. work force's confidence
 in the employment market. The next Hudson Employment Index will be released
 on August 2.
     Hudson
     Hudson delivers specialized professional staffing, outsourcing, and
 talent management solutions worldwide. From single placements to total
 solutions, the firm helps clients achieve greater organizational
 performance by assessing, recruiting, developing and engaging the best and
 brightest people for their businesses.
     Hudson is a division of Hudson Highland Group, Inc. one of the world's
 leading professional staffing, retained executive search and talent
 management solutions providers. The company employs more than 3,800
 professionals serving clients and candidates in more than 20 countries
 through its Hudson and Highland Partners businesses. More information is
 available at www.hudson.com.
     Contact:  Sarah Kafenstok               Anshula Ahluwalia
               Hudson                        Ogilvy Public Relations
               (312) 795-4202                (312) 397-6074
               sarah.kafenstok@hudson.com    anshula.ahluwalia@ogilvypr.com
 
 

SOURCE Hudson