First things first, if you still haven’t seen this article in the Twin Cities Daily Planet about eWorkPlace, go read it!

Secondly, I’d like to talk about how telework can help mitigate unemployment in the current economic crisis. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, and in the case of the upcoming link, MSNBC, the national unemployment rate is now 9.5% which is a 26-year high.

Although some companies recognize that telework is one way to boost morale and offer perks in the downturn, not enough companies are recognizing this is also one way to save money and reduce unnecessary layoffs. Small and large businesses alike can save up to 15-20% just from the reduction in the utility and landline bills at the office. 

Ask yourself: How many jobs would that save?

Adeel Lari, M.B.A., P.E.
Director of Innovative Financing, Research Fellow, and Teleworker
Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs
University of Minnesota