Early this year I received a copy of the a report on telework and home-based business prepared by Dr. Penny Gurstein of the Centre for Human Settlements at the University of British Columbia. The report was prepared by Dr. Gurstein with assistance from graduate students for Denys Chamberland at the Centre for Future Studies in Housing and Living Environments within the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
The report is based on the results of a questionnaire which was sent out to 1,677 individuals who were believed to be teleworkers, contract workers or self employed. The response rate was 31%.
The report summarizes the home-based worker as most likely to be over 40 years old, living in a two-parent family household, with an undergraduate or college degree and earning over $45,000 with less than half of this income derived from the home-based work.
Over half of the home-based workers in the sample work part-time at home. Home-based work is perceived positively by the respondents stating that it provides them with flexibility and control over work while allowing more of an integration between home and work life. The results in the survey regarding the basic demographics and work/family integration are very much in sync with most other studies which have been undertaken in North America.
The research also takes a look at the housing profile and implications. It is interesting to note that 74% of the respondents live in a single detached house with a floor area of 149 square metres (1,600 square feet), typically with three or more bedrooms. Almost all of the respondents have a designated workspace at home but two-thirds share this space with other activities. Many respondents have done modifications to their home to make it more suitable for work. The top priority for these modifications was to add new lighting to the workspace.
The report concludes with the following five key implications for the housing industry:
1. Telework and home-based employment are growing trends.
2. Home work requires new housing design solutions which will allow home-based workers to better combine work and family activities under the same roof.
3. Home work generates renovation activity.
4. Home work can be an important factor in decisions to move and buy a new home as home-based workers look for more workspace possibly with a more appropriate layout.
5. Home work creates opportunities to connect homes and neighourhoods to the Information Highway.
In general, I found the research to be of interest. The material on home usage, and integrating work into residential communities covered some information which has not been overly documented. I think this report is a valuable addition to our overall body of knowledge. However, I think many of these reports come to the same conclusions, people want to telework, we are moving towards this mode of working, but we are still stuck on studying it to death. Let's take this valuable work and leverage from it to move forward.
CONTACT:
Denys Chamberland
CMHC
Phone: (613) 748-2812
Fax: (613)748-2156
e-mail: dchamber@cmhc-schl.gc.ca
For copies of the report contact CMHC at (613) 748-2367 quoting ISSN 0-660-16257-1
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