Number of Work At Home Employees To Continue Increasing In 2009

Number of Work At Home Employees To Continue Increasing In 2009

by Kay Whittenhauer

The concept of getting a job right out of high school and retiring from the same job became antiquated in the mid-1980s. Sensing this, American workers began exploring other options. Today, working at home, via the Internet, is a growing trend that shows no signs of stopping.

The US Census Bureau reports that 2.3% of workers worked at home in 1980, compared to 15.1% in 2004 (the last year that data is available, reported by the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Statistics). This is an increase of more than 650%, in less than 25 years.

Many factors account for the rising popularity of working at home. The most significant is, undoubtedly, the dawning of the Computer Age. In the early 1900's the US economy shifted from agricultural to industrial. With the advent of personal computers and the Internet, the economy is now shifting from industrial to "technological". The term "Technology Economy" is favored by many, but "Information Economy" and "Creative Economy" are used as well.

Traditionally, work-at-home wage earners opted for the "industrial" route: providing services (taking in laundry, ironing, or providing baby-sitting), or selling manufactured goods (Stanley Tools, Mary Kay, and Tupperware; to name a few) or crafting hand-made items.

Today, Information Technology, namely the Internet, has made working at home a viable and sensible alternative for wage earners.

Many corporations are offering the option of reducing the number of work days at the office, and replacing those days with working at home. Some corporate positions (like customer service representatives, medical transcribers, and billing agents) are full-time work-at-home.

Opportunities abound on the Internet for those looking for part-time or freelance work. These positions are likely to pay by the job, and can be performed at any hour of the day. Workers are able to take on as much (or as little) work as they desire. While some opt for high-tech ventures like creating websites, most will use established websites (like e-Bay).

Working at home provides wage earners the opportunity to be home (with children or ailing relatives), eliminates commuting time, reduces personal expenses, and provides highly desirable flexibility.

In the coming year, economic indicators show that the price of gasoline will continue to increase, and the number of traditional industrial jobs will continue to decrease, thus fueling a continued rise in the number of work-at-home wage earners. The vast majority of work-at-home wage earners will rely on the Internet, in some form, to do business. - 20490

Kay Whittenhauer is a dynamic and truthful writer on the topics of work at home and business building. If you would like to learn a secret step by step proven successful method for making money from home don't hesitate to checkout (http://thenichebloggerreviews.blogspot.com/) The Niche Blogger Review.