Research conducted by the Kenexa® Research eInstitute (KRI) evaluated home and remote based eemployees’ engagement.

Employees work outside of the office for many reasons including greater work/life balance, family obligations, special work schedule requirements and commuting distance to the office. Although this arrangement delivers benefits to both the employer and the employee, being a remote worker may also have its challenges. For example, do remote or home-based employees feel as though they are out of sight and out of mind, or are they as equally engaged as those who work inside the office?

KRI examined the impact of an employee’s office location on their pride in the organization, confidence in its future, willingness to recommend their organization as a place to work and overall satisfaction. Employees who work remotely or from their homes outscored those who work within the bricks and mortar on each of these key indicators. In addition, employees who work remotely or from home are more likely to say they intend to stay with their organization.

The results indicate that among U.S. workers, those who have been with their employer between three and five years and those between the ages of 36-45 are more likely to work from home. Men are also more likely to work from home.

Actual job functions reporting the highest percentage of employees who work remotely or from home are professionals (accountants, physicians and nurses), managers and those in technical and sales positions. Industries with the highest percentage of people who work outside of the office are business services, financial services (including insurance and real estate) and healthcare services.

Remote and home-based employees feel more favorably that their company has open, honest two-way communication. They also have more favorable opinions of their senior management. They see senior management showing more concern for the well-being and morale of their team members, demonstrating that employees are important to the success of the company, giving employees a clearer picture of the direction the company is headed and as more trustworthy. These employees also feel more favorably that their immediate manager does a good job at managing people, treating people fairly and delivering useful feedback.

“It is clear that with the increase in available technology, a noteworthy number of U.S. workers are telecommuting. Not only are those who telecommute more engaged than those who work in an office, they are much more likely to rate both their senior managers and their immediate managers more favorably. Managers who allow and support telecommuting enjoy a boost in employee appreciation and are seen as notably more employee-centric and competent. This represents yet another weapon in the war for talent,” said Jack W. Wiley, Ph.D., executive director, Kenexa Research Institute.

Database Overview
The Kenexa WorkTrendsTM database is a comprehensive normative database of employee survey results with comparisons on topics including leadership, employee engagement and customer orientation.

Study Details
Working remotely or from home is easier to do with the advance in available technology. Although it has its benefits, employees may feel as though they are disconnected from the organization. The Kenexa Research Institute evaluated home and remote based employees’ engagement.

Survey items were rated using a 5-point Likert-like scale. The % favorable is the percentage of people who chose either of the two most positive answers (typically “strongly agree” or “agree”).

Survey Results
Demographics of those workers who responded yes to “Do you work remotely or from a home-based office at least once a week.”

Gender
Men are more likely to work remotely or from home.

Tenure
Those who have been with their company between three-five years are more likely to work remotely or from home.

Age
Workers between the ages of 36-45 are more likely to work remotely or from home.

Job Function
Actual job functions reporting the highest percentage of employees who work remotely or from home are professionals, managers and those in technical and sales positions.

Industry
Industries with the highest percentage of people who work outside of the office are business services, financial services (including insurance and real estate) and healthcare services.