From a recent SHRM survey and article titled “Businesses slow to help employees at the gas pump” (membership required): of 380 companies surveyed from April 25th to May 1st of this year, few companies are actively moving to assist their employees with rising gas prices. In fact, 86% indicated that they were doing nothing. Here is a break down of the top initiatives for those companies reaching out:
- 20% are increasing the mileage limit
- 8% are offering public transportation discounts, up from 7% in 2005
- 8.4% organize carpools, up from 5.3% in 2005
- 7.1% offer telecommuting, up from 4.4% in 2005
As you can see, only a small percentage of companies today are actually taking advantage of the technology available to offer telecommuting to their employees. However, the trend is clearly increasing and I expect will accelerate even more this year. More and more candidates are inquirying about positions they are applying for and if telecommuting is an option – even on a part-time basis. Is your company offering a telecommuting option and, if so, are you promoting that option in your hiring activities?