Think outside the desk

Did you know that telecommuting has risen 74% between 2005 & 2012 and now makes up 2.6% of the American workforce or 3.2M? There’s an old-school misconception that workers are most productive at their desks, in their offices, at their place of business. The notion that a worker needs to sit at the same piece of wood every day has been called into question by the hundreds of millions of businesses and workers around the world who have discovered the benefits of telecommuting.

Studies have actually found that telecommuters are typically more productive than good-old-fashioned employees and tend to work longer hours overall, since they aren’t contending with long commutes. So, if you’re managing virtual workers, don’t stress about them under-performing (unless the signs are obvious). Instead, keep an eye out for overworking and under-appreciation.