Employers Still Don’t Want You to Work From Home

Last week SmartBrief on Workforce asked its readers: Do you expect workers at your company to work from home more often in 2009?

Here’s what their 150+ respondents said:

• 51 respondents (34.93%) said: No, we have the technology to do it and many jobs could be accomplished at a distance, but it doesn’t mesh well with company culture
• 31 respondents (21.23%) said: Yes, it’s an initiative management and workers have wholeheartedly embraced
• 30 respondents (20.55%) said: No, most of our employees’ work simply can’t be done offsite
• 22 respondents (15.07%) said: Yes, but only grudgingly. Management would prefer to have people onsite, but other business challenges are forcing it to set aside objections
• 12 respondents (8.22%) said: No, but if workers ask for it, we’ll consider it

Granted it was a small study, but it matches what we continue to hear in the market. Sad to say bosses still cling to the typing pool mentality. They want to see their workers working.

In the coming weeks, we’ll be offering advice for how to approach your boss about letting you work from home