The Rise of the Web Commuter: Citrix Survey Reveals 23% of Americans Are “Working From Anywhere”— 62% Wish They Could

For a growing number of American workers, the traditional office is becoming more of a touchpad than a daily destination, says a new study, “Web Commuting & the American Workforce,” unveiled by Citrix Online, a division of Citrix Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CTXS). More people are performing at least part of their jobs from virtually anywhere, at any hour of the day, thanks to technology that allows them to “take their office with them” wherever they go. These remote workers, called “telecommuters” in the 1980s and 90s, are today more aptly dubbed “Web commuters” for their growing reliance on the Internet.

The national survey conducted by the polling company, inc. shows that:

* 23% of American workers (and 41% of small business owners) regularly work from home or another offsite location, relying on Web technology (e.g. the Internet, e-mail, or programs that allow them to remotely access their office computers or meet with colleagues online).
* Of those who currently do not have the ability to do their jobs off site, 62% agreed they would like to be able to do so.


These findings suggest a growing ability – and desire – to work from anywhere.

“Web commuting certainly appears to be a trend-in-the-making,” said Kellyanne Conway, CEO and president of the polling company, inc. “The technology is so available, and so reasonably priced, that people of all backgrounds, situations and locations are becoming increasingly mobile. The evidence is strong that Web commuting represents a future where the workplace will be everywhere and the workforce, anyone. Employers should take heed, if they want to attract and retain talent, because Web commuting is a benefit people value highly.”

The survey results indicated that “the ability to work remotely or away from the office at least some of the time” is near the top of the list of the “extra” benefits employees desire: 14% percent of those polled cited its relative value, ahead of stock options (13%) and on-site child care (11%).

American workers aged 18-34 were most excited about working remotely: 70% agreed it would be a welcome opportunity.

The polling company survey was sponsored by Citrix Online, a provider of easy to use, secure and affordable Web-based services for remote computer access and online meetings. Citrix Online coined the term “web commuting” to describe the behavior uncovered in the survey.

“Web commuters are a substantial portion of our customer base,” said Bernardo de Albergaria, vice president and general manager, eCommerce, for Citrix Online. “Services like web-based remote access, collaboration and support are enabling more and more people to work from anywhere. This is what’s been keeping our company’s growth rate climbing at nearly 50 percent year-over-year.”

Citrix Online’s suite of Web-based services include:

* Citrix® GoToMyPC®, for people to remotely access their desktop PC, as if they were there
* Citrix® GoToMeeting®, for online meetings
* Citrix® GoToWebinar®, for do-it-yourself presentations to up to 1,000 people
* Citrix® GoToAssist®, for real-time remote support


Web commuters, already 23% of the general working population and 41% of small business owners in the U.S., seem poised to move toward critical mass, shaping the future of the American business landscape.


“Citrix Online anticipated the demand for Web-based substitutes to office desktops and in-person meetings,” said de Albergaria. “We’ll continue adding to the Web commuter’s tool kit as the boundaries of the global workplace disappear.”

For more information and a free trial of GoToMyPC, visit http://www.gotomypc.com; for GoToMeeting, visit http://www.gotomeeting.com; for GoToWebinar, visit http://www.gotowebinar.com. For more information about Citrix Online, visit http://www.citrixonline.com.

About Citrix
Citrix Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CTXS) is the global leader and the most trusted name in application delivery infrastructure. More than 200,000 organizations worldwide rely on Citrix to deliver any application to users anywhere with the best performance, highest security and lowest cost. Citrix customers include 100% of the Fortune 100 companies and 99% of the Fortune Global 500, as well as hundreds of thousands of small businesses and prosumers. Citrix has approximately 6,200 channel and alliance partners in more than 100 countries. Annual revenue in 2006 was $1.1 billion.

Survey Methodology
the polling company™, inc. conducted a recent nationwide telephone survey of 600 American adults (18+) who are currently in the workforce or have plans to enter the workforce within three years with an oversample of 100 small business owners. Interviews were collected September 14-18, 2007 at a Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) facility using live callers. The sample was drawn utilizing Random Digit Dial (RDD) technology that ensures that every household in America with a landline telephone has an equal chance of being called. Potential respondents were then screener to ensure they met the survey requirements for participation. Sampling controls were employed to ensure representative and proportional numbers of respondents were interviewed by demographic characteristics such as race, age, gender, and geographic region, as those characteristics are reported by the latest available U.S. Census Bureau statistics.

The original survey instrument contained 18 questions including and seven demographic inquiries. The final questionnaire was approved by the client prior to fielding. The margin of error for the main sample of 600 adults survey is calculated at +/- 4.0% at the 95% confidence interval meaning that, in 19 out of 20 cases, the data collected would differ by no more than 4 percentage points were the entire population of American adults (18+) in the workforce or planning to return to the workforce within three years surveyed. The margin of error for the small business sample1 is +/- 6.8%. Margins of error for subgroups are higher.


Citrix®, GoToMyPC®, GoToMeeting® and GoToWebinar® are trademarks of Citrix Systems, Inc. and/or one or more of its subsidiaries, and may be registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

1 The Small Business sample includes both the 113 interviews with small business professionals collected in the main sample plus the 100 additional interviews collected in the oversample.