Unanswered e-mails and unfinished projects continue to follow Americans from their weekday office chairs to hastily assembled at-home offices. In fact, approximately one-third of the U.S. labor force works on an average weekend day - a rise of about 7% since 2002.
Corporate layoffs are, in part, responsible for the proliferation of weekend warriors. The responsibilities of two or three people cannot fit into the schedule of a single person working 9 to 5 Monday through Friday. So the new workday schematic becomes as flexible as it is exhaustive, with job descriptions growing ever broader. Given this developing trend, one thing is certain. Employers, investors, spouses and labor boards, to name a few, will be scrutinizing new protocols for work-home arrangements.
Today's weekend warriors - and those in the making - can ease the transition to more hours "on the job" by devising a strategy addressing the key components of successful arrangements. These include a comfortable, productive work area within the home; balancing work, family and personal responsibilities; and keeping job-related materials secure in the home setting.
Nicole Bachelor has been telecommuting exclusively for over 4 years, and working from home at least a few days per week for many years before that.
