Number of Work-at-Home Employees to Continue Increasing in 2009
The US Census Bureau reports that 2.3% of workers worked at home in 1980, compared to 15.1% in 2004 (the last year that data is available, reported by the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Statistics). This is an increase of more than 650%, in less than 25 years.
Many factors account for the rising popularity of working at home. The most significant is, undoubtedly, the dawning of the Computer Age. In the early 1900's the US economy shifted from agricultural to industrial. With the advent of personal computers and the Internet, the economy is now shifting from industrial to "technological". The term "Technology Economy" is favored by many, but "Information Economy" and "Creative Economy" are used as well.
Traditionally, work-at-home wage earners opted for the "industrial" route: providing services (taking in laundry, ironing, or providing baby-sitting), or selling manufactured goods (Stanley Tools, Mary Kay, and Tupperware; to name a few) or crafting hand-made items.
Today, Information Technology, namely the Internet, has made working at home a viable and sensible alternative for wage earners.
Many corporations are offering the option of reducing the number of work days at the office, and replacing those days with working at home. Some corporate positions (like customer service representatives, medical transcribers, and billing agents) are full-time work-at-home.
Opportunities abound on the Internet for those looking for part-time or freelance work. These positions are likely to pay by the job, and can be performed at any hour of the day. Workers are able to take on as much (or as little) work as they desire. While some opt for high-tech ventures like creating websites, most will use established websites (like e-Bay).
Working at home provides wage earners the opportunity to be home (with children or ailing relatives), eliminates commuting time, reduces personal expenses, and provides highly desirable flexibility.
In the coming year, economic indicators show that the price of gasoline will continue to increase, and the number of traditional industrial jobs will continue to decrease, thus fueling a continued rise in the number of work-at-home wage earners. The vast majority of work-at-home wage earners will rely on the Internet, in some form, to do business.
Published by Kay Whittenhauer
Kay Whittenhauer resides in Rochester, NY, with her husband, their teenage son, and a rambunctious dog of mysterious pedigree. She works year-round as an office administrator at a non-profit organization and... View profile
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26 Comments
Post a CommentVery well said! You are correct. I am a previous medical transcriber. Never worked at home though. If it weren't for my carpal tunnel in my hand I'd be doing it! I do love writing for AC and other sites. Planning a business site soon for the multiple items I make. Excellent article!
Fantastic piece! Sorry I'm a little late reading/commenting. I would certainly have to agree with you on this projection. Working at home is an extremely viable option for a number of different reasons and will continue to become more popular in the coming years.
Great article Kay. Working from home allows my kids to have their mom for more time and also allows me the time to homeschool them. I think it's a great idea for parents. That way, instead of a babysitter raising their children, they get to actually do it - not saying there's anything wrong with babysitters (there isn't), but I'm sure if given the choice, most kids would pick their parents. :-)
Excellent reporting. Very good write.
Excellent article, I know with the price of Gas, and the lack of jobs in our area, it really doesn't pay for me to work outside of the house, so my articles will have to do. Just tighten the purse strings a little more.
Very interesting read again.....very good article.
i've been working at home since i walked out of a great paying job in 1983...and love it!!..yes, discipline is a must..i treat this like going to work..but i don't have to drive.....excellent article
I really liked this article. It does seem that working from home is becoming more and more popular. I have worked solely from home in the past and would love to return to working from home, but on a full-time basis.
Sophie
good inspiration and incentive for helping people find work. the telecommuting jobs are costly start-ups and many get taken to the cleaners by bogus rip-off work-at-home scams. i agree the year ahead could be gruesome. hopefully those who make the rules will be guided by wisdom and not greed.
Working at home can be great if you're disciplined. If not, it can be a real challenge. Excellent article. :-)