The 10 Commandments of a Happy Worker in the Digital Era.

By Silvina Moschini  |  CEO Intuic  |  The Social Media Agency

Just as the world turns and is in constant movement, so does the labor sector move, constantly changing thanks to new digital tools.  Trends are pointing towards telecommuting: doors are opened as companies have more freedom to choose their employees, who benefit from a more satisfying professional development.  Online business management tools like TransparentBusiness.com enable professionals to complete their tasks freely, with flexible hours and without commuting to an office.  So, what is this new worker in the digital era like?

1. He works from his house, the beach, a bar or wherever he wants, without having to spend time and money to commute to an office.  60% of workers believe that it is no longer necessary to share physical space with their colleagues.

2. She is master of her own time, which makes her happy.  78% of managers believe that flexibility at work helps retain and motivate the most important executives on their team.  Working from home, workers can regain two whole weeks of free time every year, the amount of time lost commuting to the office.

3. He is friendly to the environment. Just one day of telecommuting per week could reduce contaminating gas emissions by 423 thousand tons, which is the equivalent of removing 77 thousand cars from the roads over the course of one year.

4. She has a much fairer balance between personal life and working life. 80% of workers believe there is room for improvement in this field.

5. Women can raise their children without having to abandon their professional life.  In 1962, only 37.7% of American women were employed while now, in 2012, 58% of the female population in the United States works.

6. He is more productive.  65% of telecommuters are more productive than the employees working in an office, in addition to the fact that 76% of telecommuters are more willing to work overtime.

7. She leads a healthier lifestyle.  She eats home-cooked meals, avoids “office snacks” and exercises more regularly.  73% of telecommuters affirm that they have healthier eating habits when they work from home.

8. He is less stressed.  75% of workers believe that their job is stressful, and 25% believe that it is in fact the most stressful thing in their lives.  On the other hand, telecommuters are able to reduce their stress by 25%.

9. She doesn’t waste time wondering what to wear every morning.  A study presented by the newspaper The Telegraph upholds that women spend on average 16 minutes every morning trying to decide what clothes to put on for work, which adds up to 5 hours spent in front of the closet every month.

10. He wears his slippers much more often, which makes him happy.  Or, at least, that’s what Harvard University leads us to believe in their 10 Suggestions to Attain Happiness, where they recommend wearing comfortable shoes.

There is no doubt as to the many advantages telecommuting brings to the world of work.  It makes employees happy and improves results and productivity.  Not to mention that it reduces spending and environmental impact.  These advantages impact both workers and companies, so the happiness is mutual.

Sources:  Cisco Global Workplace Study, 2010.  IDC Worldwide Mobile Worker Population 2009-2013 Forecast.  IPSOS, Telecommuting, November 2011.