Dive Brief:

• Thirty-seven percent of U.S. workers say they have telecommuted, up slightly from 30% last decade but four times greater than the 9% found in 1995, according to a recent Gallup poll.
• Technology has made telecommuting easier for workers, and most companies seem willing to let workers do their work remotely, at least on an occasional basis if the position allows for it, Gallup reports.
• Even though telecommuting has become more common, the growth in the practice appears to have leveled off in recent years. It is unclear how much more prevalent telecommuting can become because it is really only feasible for workers who primarily work in offices using a computer to perform most of their work duties.

Dive Insight:

While a greater percentage of U.S. workers now say they have telecommuted than in the past, telecommuting remains much more the exception than the rule. 

Gallup says that most people assume telecommuting is beneficial to employees, but the question remains whether it is beneficial to employers. In one respect, employers might use their telecommuting policy as a way to retain talented workers who may otherwise need to change jobs or stop working altogether. Gallup's workplace research shows that employees who spend at least some time working remotely are a bit more likely to be engaged in their jobs than those who never work remotely.

It is unclear from those relationships whether telecommuting increases engagement or workers who telecommute (and tend to be more highly educated, white-collar employees) are more likely to be engaged in their work in general, Gallup reports. Regardless of the causality, the research has consistently demonstrated that companies with a more engaged workforce tend to do better in a variety of business outcomes, including productivity, profitability and customer engagement.