Productivity is far more likely to be hurt these days by job-related stress than by family problems stemming from child care or elder care, the Families and Work Institute reported in its ‘’National Study of the Changing Workforce.’’ The research breaks new ground by measuring for the first time the intertwined nature of work and home. As such, it makes a strong case for the benefits of a home-based business. Until recently, companies focused on helping solve workers’ family problems so they could work better. But few companies have acknowledged how interrelated the two domains are, and much work actually creates problems at home which then hurts productivity.

In addition, the study revealed that pay and benefits are far less important in keeping workers happy than the quality of work and supportive provided by a company (assuming that pay is competitive). Such a finding has important implications for corporations as they struggle to retain workers in a tight labor market. One result of these trends is that more and more companies will increase telecommuting work options in an effort to improve morale. The “National Study of the Changing Workforce” lends credence to home-based work opportunities not only being convenient but a bottom-line necessity./