Telecommuting continues to gain popularityamong U.S. employers.

According to Workspot, an enterprise software provider, nearly85 percent of Americans work from home more than once a month.Also, close to 25 percent of employees telecommute every week andmore than 40 percent of U.S. companies have implemented some typeof telecommuting policy.

Yet despite its increasing popularity, misconceptions persistabout the benefits of telecommuting.

Here’s a look at the most common myths and why, if you aren’toffering a work-from-home option to your employees, you probablyshould.

Misconception No. 1: Employees who work from home areless productive than those who work in the office.

Some employers mistakenly believe that remote employees willdevote their “work time” to domestic chores, playing with childrenor pets, etc. In fact, telecommuting employees are much more likelyto exceed the traditional 40-hour-a-week work schedule, and can be20 percent more productive when workingremotely.

When weighing the benefits of telecommuting, employers shouldalso factor all the interruptions employees encounter in theworkplace (frequent meetings, co-workers dropping by to chat,impromptu birthday celebrations, etc.). It’s a myth to think of theoffice as a “distraction-free” environment.

Misconception No. 2: Being present in the officegenerates a more professional attitude.

A certain “in-office mentality” afflicts many employees. Knowingthey must be at their desks during work hours can actually diminishtheir incentive to complete tasks efficiently. Work often getsdragged out, because, as Tony Bradley, principal analyst with theBradley Strategy Group, notes, “Finishing quickly is likely toresult in additional assignments to fill the time, so there is noincentive to maximize performance.”

Misconception No. 3: It’s difficult to stay in touchwith remote workers.

This belief might have been supportable in the past, butadvanced communications technology renders it completely wrong intoday’s work environment. From mobile platforms to VPNtechnologies, from cloud-based collaborative resources to Skype andFacebook, there’s no reason employers can’t be in constantcommunications with their remote staff.

What about the benefits of telecommuting for employers?

Benefit No. 1: Employees do a better job of balancingwork with personal obligations.

Employees are often subject to demands imposed by personalobligations, such as caring for a sick relative, getting childrenback and forth from school (and after-school activities), etc.Worrying about such demands prevents them from always stayingfocused on job responsibilities.

Remote workers, by contrast, generally do a better job ofbalancing these demands with their professional obligations.They’re better placed to contend with unexpected domesticchallenges, while also staying on top of their jobs.

Benefit No. 2: Telecommuting instills greater employeesatisfaction, thus boosting retention.

With reduced stress comes a keener sense of job satisfaction (and appreciation foremployers who provide this type of flexibility). Satisfiedemployees are far less likely to seek employment alternativeselsewhere.

“Employees who are allowed to work remotely are happier thanthose who aren’t,” writes HR expert Margaret Jacoby. “This level ofemployee happiness can save you asignificant amount of money in the long-run by reducing costlyemployee turnover.”

Benefit No. 3: Employers offering telecommuting enjoysizeable reductions in overhead.

It’s a simple equation: Less employees in the workplace meansfewer costs associated with office space and parking, as well asutilities, office supplies, janitorial services, incidentals likecoffee and water, and so on. It’s estimated that a typical businesspermitting workers to do their jobs remotely can save an average$11,000 a year.

If you still require your workforce to remain on site throughoutthe workweek, it may be at the cost of a significant competitiveadvantage. Now is a good time to re-examine your assumptions abouttelecommuting and try a new approach.

Darcy Tudor is the Executive Vice President of the CallCenter Division at Marketing Alternatives, Inc(MAI). MAI is a marketing support services company thatprovides value-added customer engagement solutions. Darcy has beenwith MAI for over 17 years and she is responsible for operating a250-seat call center.