The future of telecommuting

Abstract

Interest in telecommuting is growing among workers, employers, transportation planners, communities, the telecommunications industry, and others. But actual levels of telecommuting appear to be increasing slowly, although there is little reliable data on trends. The future of telecommuting depends on whether employers provide the opportunity to telecommute and whether workers take advantage of this opportunity; government policies can encourage both. This article addresses that future by outlining and evaluating important trends in a variety of factors and explores the need for further research on telecommuting trends and impacts. For the most part the future of telecommuting looks promising, but many questions remain about how telecommuting will evolve over time.