The Ups and Downs of Telecommuting

Editor's Note: This article introduces TheStreet.com's Home Front series, a collection of twice-weekly features that examines how American business, society and investing have changed in the post-Sept. 11 landscape.

Some days, it's tough to get up and go to work. For many, since Sept. 11, it has grown even tougher.

Whether it's contending with New York City mass-transit delays, D.C-area gridlock, a high view from an office window, worries about opening mail contaminated by anthrax or the pull of family responsibilities at home, many workers find telecommuting a solution to their troubles.

Currently, in the U.S., at least 16 million employees work at home at least one day a week, according to Minda Zetlin, author of Telecommuting for Dummies.

An Upward Trend

That number will increase, predicts Dr. Charles Grantham, whose forthcoming book about the psychology of the Internet is due next spring. According to Grantham, about 7.54% of the U.S. workforce telecommuted at the end of 2000. "I wouldn't be surprised to see that figure go over 12% or so by the second quarter of next year," he says. "If we have another major incident, though, all bets are off." ...