The Dreaded Commute

Lengthy commutes to work are taking a toll on U.S. workers.  So much so that a recent survey showed that four percent or five million people have skipped work by pretending to be ill to avoid their harrowing commute into the office.

The study was commissioned by the Workforce Institute at Kronos and conducted by Harris Interactive.  Not surprising, nearly half of U.S. employees polled said commuting is affecting their overall job satisfaction.  And, despite the unemployed who are desperate for work regardless of location, 32 percent of workers said they factored in their commute when choosing their current job.

Long commutes are impacting the productivity and morale of today’s professionals because it consumes valuable time – time which could be spent actually doing work or with their families.  Given the access to remote technology, businesses should consider being open to workplace alternatives for employees – at least some of the time.   The fact of the matter is the growing number of mobile workers and the variety of workplace options has transformed how work gets done.

Remote access apps for mobile devices like the iPad2 are allowing workers to tap into their desktop files from anywhere in the world.  While this is not necessarily new technology it is being embraced at a more rapid pace.  Mobile workers continue to use a variety of devices aside from their laptops/desktops and they are constantly seeking out new tools that will keep them productive, no matter what device they use.

Let us know what you do to be more productive when you are traveling or away from the office.