Studies Show Working From Home Really Means Work

Show of hands…how many would like to work from home?  How many think they would actually get any work done?  Guess again…despite the obvious suspicions-- Is the telecommuter just telepretending…studies show home workers do indeed work.

For most employees who work remotely, telecommuting equates to working more hours -- not fewer and that often causes work to seep into home life, blurring the boundaries between the two.

Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin and from the University of Iowa analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey and other sources and found:

• Nearly one-third of respondents who work from home add five to seven hours to their workweek, compared with those who work exclusively at the office.
• Telecommuters are significantly less likely to work a standard 40-hour schedule and more likely to work overtime.
• Telecommuters are more likely to use technology, especially email, to perform work tasks even when sick or on vacation.
• Telecommuting is not helpful in reducing work-family time conflicts; instead it allows employers to impose longer workdays.