If you’ve ever searched for a job with a flexible work schedule, you know that there are a lot of too-good-to-be true listings and just plain scams. Sorting through all the junk postings makes it hard for anyone to find the truly great flextime jobs that are available.

As part of my research for my new book Virtual Teams for Dummies (out July 31, 2018, available for pre-order now: https://www.amazon.com/Virtual-Dummies-Business-Personal-Finance/dp/1119453801/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1528207030&sr=8-2&keywords=virtual+teams+for+dummies), I met with many experts on flexible jobs. The best was Boulder-based, FlexJobs.

Ten years ago, FlexJobs was created to help people find flexible, work-from-anywhere jobs. By vetting the job opportunities, FlexJobs is now connecting thousands of people seeking flexible schedule jobs with companies seeking flexible employees. Everyone wins. Along the way, FlexJobs has become a leader in the flexible job movement. I met with Brie Weiler Reynolds, Senior Career Specialist at FlexJobs for her take on the state of flexible jobs.

Tara Powers: What are the trends for flexible work?

Brie Weiler Reynolds: More growth! All indications say that we will continue to see more – more people demanding flexible work schedules and more companies seeing the value in having flexible employees. Remote work has grown 115% in last 10 years and it will continue to grow. For people currently working in the office, they will have more opportunities to try out a flexible work schedule for 1-2 days a week. We’ll probably also see Baby Boomers delaying retirement by seeking flexible work as a way to stay active.

Tara Powers: What’s driving growth today?

BWR: Ten years ago the biggest single driver of remote work was technology. Employees could dial in from anywhere and everyone had mobile phones. Now you have millennials making a statement in the workforce – this is a population who have grown up with technology and connectivity their whole lives. They want to work when and where they want to work and, most importantly, they see it as a standard way of working – not a perk to be earned. This generational shift will drive the trend in the coming years.

Tara Powers: What do remote workers need to know?

BWR: There are a lot of things first-time remote workers need to know, from how to set up your office, the best products to have and how to set boundaries, and use technology so you can work efficiently. For great advice on taxes and insurance, we work with an advocacy group called 1 Million for Work Flexibility (https://www.workflexibility.org/) and they have great advice and a community of experts to help. Or check out our blog (https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/) where we have a lot of helpful information for freelancers and contract workers.

Tara Powers: What do you say to the naysayers?

BWR: Every time a major company speaks out against the benefits of telecommuting we revisit this issue. The reality is, it’s pretty rare. Since 2013, we’ve seen a handful of major companies pull back from working from home schedules – and in that same time, hundreds of companies have started or grown their remote programs. The success and growth of flexible work options far outweighs the impact of a few companies that step away from it. In these cases, there is usually something else going on at the company, like a drop in overall performance, lack of product development, management turnover – it’s not that telecommuting is the problem.

Interested in learning more about flexible work and the future of virtual teams? Check out my new book Virtual Teams for Dummies, out on July 31, 2018, available for pre-order now: https://www.amazon.com/Virtual-Dummies-Business-Personal-Finance/dp/1119453801/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1528207030&sr=8-2&keywords=virtual+teams+for+dummies