Dunn County is a Telecommuter Forward! Certified Community Ready for the Future

Telecommuting may be the way of the future and if it is, Dunn County is ready. Thanks to the efforts of the Dunn County EDC, local stakeholders, cooperatives and broadband providers, Dunn County has been named a Telecommuter Forward! certified community. This means that Dunn County has made a concerted effort to promote telecommuting opportunities for existing and new residents.

According to Global Workplace Analytics, working from home for non-self-employed people has grown by 140% since 2005. Additionally, approximately 20 to 25 percent of the workforce telecommutes at least part of the time. Of workers who do not telecommute, 80 to 90 percent would like to. This is leading Fortune 1000 companies to change their work culture, how teams are managed and work together, and technology capabilities to offer more work from home opportunities.

Who are these employees?

Global Workplace Analytics reported that the average telecommuter has a college degree, earns at least $58,000 a year, and works for a company with 100 or more employees. For 75 percent of employees who work from home, their salary is over $65,000 per year. So, telecommuters are highly educated, professional, and earn an income that is in the upper 80th percentile of all employees.

We encourage telecommuters to move to Dunn County

Dunn County is actively working to ensure that telecommuters have the infrastructure they need to succeed while working from home. As Jim Kusilek, Operations Manager for West Wisconsin Telcom said, “Our priority is providing broadband service and the ability for people to work from home.” West Wisconsin Telcom, Mosaic Telecom, and Ntec are some of the organizations working to ensure that telecommuters have the broadband speeds they need to succeed.

The efforts of these local cooperatives, along with rural communications companies, are making it possible for telecommuters to access their company files online, participate in video chats, and accomplish tasks as quickly as they could in the office. The only difference is that they can do so while lounging in comfortable clothes and eating last night's leftovers. Telecommuting is simply a more convenient way of life and one that many of our Dunn County residents are already enjoying.

The economic benefits go both ways

Telecommuters moving to beautiful Dunn County enjoy the benefits of living in a rural community where housing prices are low and so are the taxes. Simultaneously, the county benefits from an increase in population and, if a telecommuter is married, their spouse also enters the local workforce, creating further opportunities. This makes it wise for us to continue to invest in broadband and other support structures that will help telecommuters to thrive here.

The EDC will continue to promote broadband and support cooperatives and companies working to expand the network. Simultaneously, the county is also working to make it easier for them to do so. As Bob Colson, Planning/Zoning Administrator for Dunn County said, “The County offers help and support and as part of its Legislative Agenda, the County requested the State provide additional broadband funding so broadband can reach more rural areas of the county.”

Dunn County residents can also help by purchasing broadband from a local provider. Scott Behn, CEO of Mosaic Telecom said, “We need local people and businesses to buy from a local vendor when they have that choice. If our Customer base leaves us for a national company it takes funding away from opportunities to reinvest in our local network. Local people have the power to influence the future with their spending power.” Continuing to invest in broadband and attract telecommuters to Dunn County is the right thing for the current population, businesses and the future of the community.

For more information on available broadband in the community or opportunities available here, contact us.