| About 25 percent of most Blue Chip company | | | | one-third, or 50 million, of the nation's workers will be |
| workers worldwide telecommute from home offices, | | | | part- or full-time the home employment, Kane said. |
| saving $700 million in real estate costs, says IBM Lotus, | | | | Rather than try to fight employment at home, |
| marketing manager. | | | | companies need to embrace it, Kane said. Contrary to |
| Companies reap additional benefits in higher worker | | | | popular myths, telecommuters do not spend more time |
| productivity and a happy work force. These | | | | snacking than regular workers. Nor do they watch |
| companies have expanded their virtual workplace | | | | soap operas or take care of their kids all day. |
| program, launched in 1995, because of the immense | | | | In fact, most telecommuters are men with graduate |
| success so far achieved. During the past decade, | | | | degrees and incomes over $40,000 per year working |
| hundreds of giant corporations and small businesses | | | | in professional and managerial occupations, according |
| have launched formal employment at home programs. | | | | to Telework America. The study shows many |
| In Texas, big companies such as Mobil, Frito Lay, | | | | telecommuters live on the East and West coasts and |
| Texas Instruments, Xerox, AT&T, J.C. Penney | | | | in metropolitan areas with lots of people and traffic |
| and hundreds of small businesses allow workers to | | | | congestion. |
| work from home. | | | | There is a growing need and demand for work and |
| For some companies, employment at home is just the | | | | life balance in the country, Some people are spending |
| way they do business. Pharmaceutical companies | | | | hours stuck in traffic commuting each day, and |
| such as Abbott Laboratories have used home | | | | employment at home would help these people |
| workers for years. Sales representatives start their | | | | become more productive. |
| morning in their home office, then spend their day | | | | Using the Internet, a phone, fax machine and a |
| making sales calls to doctors' offices. | | | | computer, home workers can communicate with |
| Government agencies such as the Texas Workforce | | | | colleagues and clients all over the country. |
| Commission, Texas Department of Transportation and | | | | Employment at home has some real advantages for |
| Texas comptroller's office also have formal | | | | companies too. It aids in recruiting and retaining |
| employment at home programs.The state encourages | | | | workers. Some studies indicate that home based |
| employment at home to reduce pollution and time | | | | employees work longer hours and more workdays |
| wasted in traffic. | | | | than the average employee because they spend less |
| Two out of every three cars on the road in America | | | | time commuting. |
| each day hit congestion, according to Transportation | | | | In the past, companies reluctantly allowed home |
| Institute study released in June. That costs American | | | | employment for their workers, due to convenience and |
| commuters $67 billion in lost time, wasted fuel and | | | | hoped it wouldn't cost too much. Now, many |
| vehicle wear and tear, the study said. | | | | employers encourage employment at home because |
| "Employment at home is definitely on the rise," said Tim | | | | they see it as a way to get more work out of people |
| Kane, president of the International Telework | | | | who are already productive. Employment at home |
| Association and Council, or ITAC, based in Washington. | | | | greatly assist employers maintain sufficient numbers of |
| Nationwide ITAC estimates 28 million people | | | | essential manpower hence avoid paying extra for |
| telecommute one to three days a week -- up 42 | | | | non-essential workforce. |
| percent from 19.6 million in 1999. By 2005, about | | | | |