How common is remote work in the US workforce?

Almost half of American workers now operate from home, in line with Forrester's projection that 63 million would work remotely by 2016.

What are the main types of remote workers?

Five archetypes recur: the Homebody, the Night Owl, the Multi-Media Tasker, the Hobby Lobbyist, and the Nomad.

What is the biggest challenge for owners managing remote teams?

Building cohesion when the team only meets on screens, and replacing the casual connection lost when colleagues no longer share physical space.

Discovering the Work Habits of the Millennials (Infographic)

Your next hire might not walk into an office. They might not even live in your city. This isn't a future trend; it's the current reality shaping how SMEs operate. Are you ready for the unique challenges this brings?

Forrester Research projected 34 million Americans working remotely would nearly double to 63 million by 2016 — 43% of the US workforce. That shift already happened. Almost half of all American workers now operate from home, not a traditional office.

This isn’t just about location. It’s about how work gets done. Remote teams often fall into distinct operating styles. You’ll see these five archetypes emerge:

The Homebody - the remote telecommuter operating from home
The Night Owl - the more productive after-midnight worker
The Multi-Media Tasker - modern technology brings multitasking to a whole, new level
The Hobby Lobbyist - people doing their own thing online
The Nomad - our modern-day traveling worker

Here’s a peek behind the screen of a remote worker:

1. The Quiet Office: Trading Colleagues for Solitude

When you move a team member out of the office, they don’t just leave their desk. They leave the daily friction and camaraderie of shared space. That means no more water cooler gossip, no quick desk-side chats.

For the remote worker, it’s a trade: freedom from office politics, but also a loss of casual connection. For you, the owner, it means a new challenge: how do you build a cohesive team when faces only appear on a screen?

2. The Home Office: New Distractions, New Discipline

You might think working from home means shedding office annoyances — the constant ring of telephones, the impromptu meetings. But a home office brings its own set of distractions.

Your neighbor’s buzz saw might cut through a client call. Kids burst through the door. The laundry pile calls your name. While remote work offers flexibility, it demands a new kind of discipline. Deadlines still hit. You can’t just roll out of bed and expect the work to do itself.

3. Your Workspace: A Boundary, Not Just a Desk

Whether your desk is pristine or buried under papers, a remote setup demands a dedicated <a href=”