Even With $4 Gas, Demand for Telework Unmet

Even as gas prices hit historic highs in the U.S., most Americans can't telecommute, according to a recent survey released by advocacy group Telework Exchange.

Of those surveyed, 92 percent said they believed their jobs could be done from home. But only 39 percent of the respondents say they were able to telework at least part-time. Nearly all the survey respondents were culled from the 377 registrants of the Telework Exchange website.

"Telework Exchange registrants—both government and private-sector employees—do have a clear interest in telework," says Cindy Auten, Telework Exchange's general manager, in an e-mail. "We find that this is an accurate sample of the full population." Even with people in much of the U.S. paying $4 a gallon or more for gas, telecommuting seems to be facing an uphill battle. Telework Exchange has pushed for more telework options for U.S. government workers, but a survey released in March by CDW-G found only 17 percent of federal employees telecommuting.

Surveys have shown that management resistance to telework remains a barrier, Auten says. "What we found was that as managers become exposed to/involved in telework, their approval of the operating practice improves significantly," she adds. "Encouraging managers to telework is a critical step to achieving overall agency telework adoption. Further, agencies must educate and train management on telework drivers and benefits."

Thirty-eight percent of those surveyed said they're willing to pay any amount for gas. More than eight in 10 respondents said they rely on their vehicles to get to work, with only 13 percent using carpooling and 10 percent using public transportation. However, 78 percent said they were making lifestyle changes—such as limiting car trips—because of high gas prices. Another 62 percent said they were spending less in general and 53 percent said they were eating out less often.

An average, a U.S. resident spends $2,052 a year for gas to commute and spends 264 hours on the road, according to the survey.

"I think that we are seeing a tipping point for people to start looking for other alternatives to commuting," Auten says. However, employees may have to prove to managers that they can remain productive. "It is also important that employees focus on measurable outcomes to demonstrate continued or increased productivity," she says. "It is helpful to use project schedules, key milestones, regular status reports and team reviews."

-Grant Gross

Indian Outsourcers Gaining Global Share

India's top outsourcers are growing their share of the global IT services market as customers break large, multibillion orders into smaller chunks, and customer confidence in Indian providers grows, according to research firm Gartner.