When it comes to getting to work, Americans have plenty of choices. From trains, buses, cars, and even bicycles, the U.S. workforce commutes in many ways. The thing is, though, public transportation is not how most people are getting to work. In fact, many aren’t traveling to work at all—they’re telecommuting.
Here’s how Americans get to work today:
The Governing article, “More Americans Now Telecommute Than Take Public Transportation to Work,” highlights how telework—not public transportation—is the new way to get to work. This comes from a recent U.S. Census Bureau finding that around 8 million U.S. workers primarily work remotely. That places telecommuting second as a way to get to work, coming in right behind driving to the office.
According to the story, about 5.2% of workers said that they usually commute, while those taking public transportation dropped to around 5%. So why is telecommuting now outranking buses and trains? It has much to do with how federal data is collected and reported. When the Census has asked people how they typically get to work, those respondents who work remotely only one or two days a week don’t count as telecommuters. But a 2016 Gallup poll found that almost half (43%) of workers work remotely some of the time.
Discover a better way to recruit remote talent
Founded in 2007, FlexJobs is the most experienced remote & hybrid hiring platform.
- Unlimited job posts
- Low, flat membership fee
- Access top-level remote advice
- Unlimited resume searches
- Reach the right candidates
- And so much more!
Surely there is also a spike in the number of people telecommuting. Technological advances have made telecommuting much more attainable for companies of all sizes. The Census reports that those who work remotely tend to be professionals in industries such as finance, insurance, real estate, agriculture, and the information sector.
What’s driving the increase in remote workers can be attributed in part to employees of private companies. In fact, 4.3% of all private wage and salary workers telecommuted—up from 2.7% just a decade earlier. Self-employed workers also make up a significant portion of those working remotely (24%). And the Census reports that older workers are more likely to work from home (7%) in addition to the 10.3% of the workforce aged 65 and over.
But what specifically is decreasing public transportation usage and (no pun intended) driving up car usage? The American Public Transportation Association reports a decrease of 3.9% from 2017 for total transit passenger trips. Chalk it up to lower gas prices, the popularity of ride-hailing services like Uber, and higher transit costs, and driving seems to make sense for more workers.
While driving still ranks number one as the way most employees get to work, it seems the second most popular way is to eliminate the commute altogether and work remotely. Bearing in mind that many job seekers and workers alike are looking for flexible work options (including remote and telecommuting options), it seems to make sense for employers to consider allowing their teams to work from home at least part (if not all) of the time.
Looking to improve your hiring and employer branding?
Find Out About Recruiting with FlexJobs Today!
Photo Credit: bigstockphoto.com
Don't forget to share this article with colleagues!
