The study of temporal patterns of telecommuting is essential inunderstanding the adoption of tele- commuting and, hence, the impactsof telecommuting on the demand for equipment and services as well asthe demand for travel. This research examines, in the context ofcenter-based telecommuting, how often individuals telecommute, theduration of their telecommuting participation, and causes ofattrition among telecommuters. It also presents related findings fromprevious studies of home-based telecommuting. Attrition at thetelecenters studied was relatively high, with 50/100 of alltelecommuters quitting within the first 9 months. The averagetelecommuting frequency across the sample was 22/100 or about 1.1days per week. Nearly 64/100 of the participants telecommuted lessthan l day per week on average. The relationship between frequencyand duration appears to be complex, with partially counteractingtrends. The results suggest that there is a stable segtnent of thesample (stayers) who are committed higher-frequency tele- commuters,but that within the segment having a propensity to quit, there is aslight but statistically sig- nificant tendency for higher-frequencytelecommuters to quit sooner. The motivations of participants forquitting the program were investigated. The most frequent type ofreason given was job-related (cited by more than a third of allquitters). Other important reasons were supervisor-related (16/100)and closure of the center (12/100). No one cited dissatisfaction withtelecommuting as a reason for quitting, and most quitters expressed adesire to continue telecommuting from the center.
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