Telecommuting workers improve employee productivity, happiness, retention

Stephanie Giovanetti, the mother of a 12-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter, lives in Boston, works for a non-profit in D.C., and doesn't feel like she has to choose between her job and her family.


"I feel privileged to have the job that I do and I can be the mom I want to be," Giovanetti said.


Giovanetti, 39, has worked remotely for the last 10 years — her daughter has always known a home-working mom. After the kids are in school the house is quiet, and with her instant message screen on her computer  open she feels connected to her co-workers who are more than 400 miles away.
Giovanetti is part of a growing trend of workers performing their jobs remotely — in cafes or on dining room tables at home.


In the United States the proportion of workers mainly working from home has almost doubled in the last 20 years. In 2010, according to the Census Bureau, 4.3 percent of the workforce worked mainly from home. The trend has been especially attractive for working moms and has enabled women to further enter the workforce while being able to actively raise their children. But combining work and home isn't new. In fact, remote work is just a further evolution in how and where work is done that over time has changed with technology and had major impacts on family dynamics.


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