The results of a new CompTIA survey on telecommuting finds that companies that allow their employees to work from home could save tens of thousands of dollars. Employees who wish their employers would let them work from home now have more stats to include in their business cases for telecommuting, according to a new survey conducted by CompTIA. MORE ON TELECOMMUTING How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Telecommuting SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe Everyone Works at Home at Chorus Telecommuting Gets a Bad Rap Demand for Telework Unmet How to Negotiate a Flexible Work Arrangement The web-based survey, which sought to explore the business benefits and challenges of telecommuting, found that organizations that give their employees the flexibility to work from home profit from productivity improvements, lower operational costs, and from being able to find and retain talented workers. Of the 212 survey respondents, the majority of whom work in IT and at all levels, 78 percent said that their companies allow at least some telecommuting. More than two-thirds of respondents (67 percent) ranked increased productivity as telecommuting’s chief benefit. They say productivity improvements mainly stem from the ability to work during the time employees would otherwise be commuting to the office. Nearly 60 percent of respondents checked off cost savings as another significant benefit of telecommuting. Their answers to how much money their companies have saved by allowing telecommuting varied widely, resulting in an average savings of $695,752. The median and mode amounts saved were $10,000. (Cost savings come from not having to pay auto expenses, such as mileage reimbursements, or for office-related materials.) CompTIA notes that a significant number of respondents didn’t know how much their organizations have saved by letting employees work from home. Other advantages of telecommuting that respondents cited include: The ability to hire the most qualified staff, regardless of where they live (noted by 39 percent of respondents) Higher employee retention rates (37 percent) Decrease in employee stress (25 percent) Ability to reduce auto emissions (17 percent) When asked about the most significant challenges telecommuting presents to organizations, more than half of respondents (53 percent) picked securing corporate information systems. Notably, most of the challenges respondents ranked the highest were technical, not managerial. Limiting the use of unauthorized and unsupported devices was the second most significant challenge, cited by 38 percent of respondents, followed by controlling personal use of corporate mobile assets (33 percent); supervising lower-level workers (32 percent); supporting different mobile devices, such as BlackBerrys, iPhones and Treos, (30 percent); and integrating those devices with other enterprise systems (27 percent). Respondents noted that their organizations have taken measures to address these challenges that telecommuting presents: They’ve upgraded network circuits, VPN equipment and VIP client software. They’ve also expanded security training and implemented new virtualization technologies. For more information on telecommuting, see CIO.com’s Telecommuting Resource Guide. Related content feature Gen AI success starts with an effective pilot strategy To harness the promise of generative AI, IT leaders must develop processes for identifying use cases, educate employees, and get the tech (safely) into their hands. By Bob Violino Sep 27, 2023 10 mins Generative AI Innovation Emerging Technology feature A fluency in business and tech yields success at NATO Manfred Boudreaux-Dehmer speaks with Lee Rennick, host of CIO Leadership Live, Canada, about innovation in technology, leadership across a vast cultural landscape, and what it means to hold the inaugural CIO role at NATO. By CIO staff Sep 27, 2023 6 mins CIO IT Skills Innovation feature The demand for new skills: How can CIOs optimize their team? By Andrea Benito Sep 27, 2023 3 mins opinion The CIO event of the year: What to expect at CIO100 ASEAN Awards By Shirin Robert Sep 26, 2023 3 mins IDG Events IT Leadership Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe