I really liked this article on The Geography of Americans who work from Home. I have been doing that for over 15 years and find it very productive. This luxury is possible only in certain industries and for certain types of jobs.
Working from home is more common in knowledge-based metros, being associated with the share of the workforce in knowledge, professional and creative jobs (.37) and even more so with the share of adults that hold college degrees (.50). Working from home is also associated with the concentration of high-tech industry (.34) and levels of innovation (.42, measured as patents per workers). The way workers commute factors in as well.
Thought:
Whenever I see a trend, I think of product opportunities. I think there are many ways to serve this segment. May be worth doing some research to find out what they are.
4 thoughts on “Working from Home Trends”
Dorai, one market I am very gung-ho about, is that of ‘trailing spouses’ – Think of the H4 visa wives and husbands that go to the US. That’s talent rotting. Also retired workforce and moms with children to tend to – That’s another market that has to be tapped.
I wish someone gives it a serious go!
Ashwin,
Good point. Since they cannot work in US, they can actually telecommute for Indian companies and get paid in India. I am not a legal expert to know whether this can be done. But it certainly begs some research.
I informally adviced a group of spouses (all women) who are trying to form informal network for exchanging knowledge (not for work). http://www.talkingcranes.com/ You can check them out and may be even float a couple of queries.
Dorai – i have been doing this for the last 8 years and am a huge fan. It offers the woman in the workforce a perfect opportunity to use their skills without compromising on kids welfare.
Pro: It offers the perfect work life balance without greatly compromising on income.
Con: it takes away from valuable networking and learning opportunities.
Soumya,
Thanks for sharing this with us.
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