In addition to all of the benefits listed above, recent studies have revealed that workshifting can also greatly improve your health, especially for those with long commutes, which leave no room for vital exercise time. According to CNN Health, “long commutes are associated with higher weight, lower fitness levels, and higher blood pressure, all of which are strong predictors of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.”  Another discovery of the study revealed that the daily hassles of traffic lead to chronic stress and higher blood pressure.

With Citrix products such as ShareFile, GoToMeeting, and Podio, it’s no longer necessary to be in a physical workplace to send important documents, meet with clients, or collaborate with teammates.  Workshifters can spend more time at the gym, in the park, or preparing healthy meals for their families.  If your office is considering workshifting, feel free to try out some of the Citrix products.  In doing so, your employees can spend less time on stressful commutes, and more time on leading healthy lifestyles.

According to Workshifting.com, the number of U.S. telecommuters ranges from between 2.8 million people (consider home their primary place of work, not including the self-employed) and 44.4 million (includes anyone works at home at least once a year). Before you and your employees take on the idea of workshifting, first make sure you have the right hardware and software. Laptops, tablets and mobile devices enable employees to be freed from their traditional desk space and gives them the ability to work from virtually anywhere (with the right apps of course). Workshifting employees will need the ability to access their office documents, collaborate with coworkers just like they do in office.  Tools like GoToMeeting with HD Faces, GoToMyPC and ShareFile, all make workshifting a seamless process for employees.

With the proper hardware and software in place, your employees can enjoy workshifting. Statistics* show that a mobile work style increases employee productivity by 27% and increases employee engagement by 55%. I thought these stats were very intriguing and decided to ask one of our managers his feedback on workshifting.

Here’s what Shawn Miller, Web Development Manager had to say, “Several of my employees have started workshifting 1-2 times per week and I’ve noticed an increase in productivity and overall engagement. They have communicated with me that they really enjoy reducing their weekly commute to work- it’s a win-win for us.”

Will you start workshifting? Tell us below if you are already workshifting or if it is something you are considering for your company

*Source: Citrix Online

It’s a pretty cool concept. Workshifting allows employees to perform their jobs at the time and location of their choice and even hold meetings online with someone on the other side of the world. Did you know that last year, more than 100 million people experienced a virtual meeting or support session powered by Citrix? Talk about global reach! Outdated is the thought that an employee is married to a single computer in a single location for work.

With the adoption of smartphones, tablets, laptops and other mobile devices; mobility is essential.  It’s easy for employees to access their information remotely with tools like GoToMyPC and in the cloud with ShareFile. The ability to work from anywhere at any time allows employees to have more flexible work schedules and experience a positive work-life balance. The benefit is not only for the employee; the business benefits by implementing workshifting as well. When employees have the flexibility to work outside of their traditional space, satisfaction is increased which results in increased productivity and retention. It’s a win-win.

Has your business thought about implementing a workshifting policy?