Purpose

We developed the Telework Savings Model™ to quantify the economic, environmental, and societal potential that telecommuting offers for every, city, county, Congressional District, and state in the nation.

The calculator has been used by company and community leaders throughout the U.S. and Canada to quantify the extent to which telecommuting can reduce greenhouse gases and petroleum usage, save money, improve work-life balance, increase employee loyalty and turnover, reduce absenteeism, increase productivity, and reduce highway congestion and traffic accidents. It’s available free along with a Custom Telework Savings Model™ that allows companies and communities to quantify their own potential telework savings based on dozens parameters such as real estate costs, turnover, absenteeism, participation rate, frequency, labor costs, etc. Our telework research has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Washington Post, and dozens of other publications.

Telecommuting offers a new way to work—a new model for employers and new opportunities for freelancers and entrepreneurs. But the impact of goes well beyond individual or corporate benefits; it will impact our nation and the world. A strong national program can dramatically reduce our fossil fuel dependence and slow global warming. It can increase productivity. It can provide new employment opportunities for at-home caregivers, the disabled, and the un- and under-employed. It can offer rural and economically disadvantaged populations access to better jobs. It can improve family life and emancipate latchkey kids. It can bolster pandemic and disaster preparedness. It can reduce traffic jams and the carnage on our highways. It can alleviate the strain on our crumbling transportation infrastructure. It can help reclaim many of the jobs that have been lost to offshoring. And the billions of dollars saved by companies and individuals could fuel economic growth and bolster retirement sa

Telecommuting—home-based work, offers a relatively simple, inexpensive solution to some of the world’s most vexing problems:

- Environmentalists applaud telecommuting because it significantly reduces greenhouse gases and energy usage.

- Astute company owners support telecommuting because of the cost savings and increased productivity.

- Work-life experts endorse telecommuting because it addresses the needs of families, parents, and senior caregivers.

- Workforce planners see telecommuting as away to avoid the ‘brain drain’ effect of retiring boomers.

- Human resource professionals see telecommuting as a way to recruit and retain the best people.

- Employees see telecommuting as a way to save time and money, and improve the quality of their lives.

- Baby Boomers find telecommuting offers a flexible alternative to full retirement.

- Gen Y’ers see telecommuting as a way to work on their own terms.

- Disabled workers, rural residents, and military families find home-based work an answer to their special needs.

- Urban planners realize telecommuting can reduce traffic and revitalize cities.

- Governments see telecommuting as a way to reduce highway wear and tear and alleviate the strain on our crumbling transportation infrastructure.

- Organizations rely on telecommuting to ensure continuity of operations in the event of a disaster or pandemic–all federal workers are required to telecommute to the maximum extent possible for just this reason.

More details about the telecommuting workforce are available at Telecommuting Pros and Cons, How Many People Telecommute, and other Telecommuting Statistics.