Tech Workers Warm to Telecommuting

Dice Holdings reports that rising fuel costs are leading tech workers to consider telecommuting...even if it means a pay cut.

Rising gasoline costs in the United States are having a suppressive effect on the overall economy, driving up the costs of everyday goods and services, along with the amount of money workers need to spend to get to the office everyday. (Not to mention, it’s creating a glut of traded-in gas-guzzling SUVs.) Now, according to Dice Holdings, rising fuel costs are leading tech workers to consider telecommuting. According to a recent survey of after 1,500 tech professionals (PDF), more than one third (37 percent) of tech worked would accept “slightly less” pay in order to telecommute to work full-time. The survey defined “very slightly” as up to a 10 percent cut in salary.

Almost an equal number (36 percent) said they wouldn’t consider a pay cut in order to telecommute, and some 7 percent of respondents said they already telecommute. However, Dice’s sample of tech workers may not be indicative of the U.S. tech industry as a whole, or the broader U.S. employment picture, since 19 percent of respondents said they were currently unemployed. Dice runs a job-search Web site for technology professionals.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the overall U.S. unemployment rate was 5.5 percent in May, 2008—which was the largest seasonally adjusted jump in the rate in 33 years.

Dice notes that since gas prices began their recent rise, they “haven’t heard of any company opening up the telecommuting doors to tech professionals specifically,” although they note some companies and governmental agencies are implementing changes to reduce gas consumption.