STRICTLY BUSINES: WORKING AT HOME HOTTEST MOVEMENT ACROSS U.S.

It's no longer a matter of "where" you get your work done, but "when" you get it done.

Working at home has suddenly become one of the hottest employment movements in the United States.

Look at what's happening.

-- By the year 2000, as many as 30 million employees will be "telecommuting." Today, there are 15.7 telecommuters working at least one day a month at home.

-- One or more members of 27.5 million households work at home in some capacity.

-- The work-at-home market has grown 10 percent since 1997, with more than 2.5 million households joining the ranks last year.

-- Roughly 15 percent of the work force, or 21 million employees, worked at home in 1997.

-- There are 26 million home-based businesses. This compares to 18 million five years ago and 8 million in 1985.

And, they say all this is good for the environment.

The Environmental Protection Agency tells us that if 10 percent of the work force worked one day a week at home, we would breathe air with 12.936 tons less pollution and would conserve 1.2 million gallons of fuel a week.

Laptop computers, Internet access, fax machines, voice mail and telephone options such as "CallNotes, Call Waiting ID and Three-Way Calling have made it possible for a number of professionals and entrepreneurs to work at home, at least on a temporary basis.

In fact, Southwestern Bell has a special director of "Work at Home" services.

And, there are other organizations out there -- American Home Workers Association, Home Office Association and Outsource 2000 -- pushing the occasional work-at-home options.

A number of states have joined forces with Southwestern Bell and its Work at Home Resources to proclaim special "Work-At-Home Days," to highlight the millions of workers who work at home.

This includes Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Arkansas. These states have proclaimed "Work at Home Day." Missouri's Work at Home Day encouraged Missourians to look at the work-at-home movement.

This was the second year for the "Work at Home" day program in these states.

Some companies have extended work-at-home options to employees, in a number of categories -- sales representatives, computer workers, illustrators, jewel making, credit collectors and mystery shoppers.

Renee Flores, Bell's work-at-home director, says working at home can increase productivity, up to 30 percent.

One report, said Flores, claims working at home "reduces relocation and overhead costs, helps maintain employee loyalty, expands the labor pools and reduced time lost training new employees."

Flores does offer some tips on working at home:

-- Separate the space for work from the home environment -- designate a specific work area and install a telephone line dedicated for business use.

-- Make your home office an organized professional place to work.

-- Use technology and telecommunications tools.

-- Stick to a schedule on the days you work from home.

-- Plan ahead to have all the tools and paperwork needed to work at home.

Downtown Survey

Preliminary reports on three surveys and a focus-group study were presented to Cape Girardeau business people, city and chamber officials last week.

Two surveys were conducted by the community and economic development group of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. A third survey and a focus-group discussion were conducted by the Southeast Missouri State University's marketing department.

The survey presented some not-too-surprising findings.

The majority of shoppers to the downtown area go there for dining and to view the river. Some negatives were revealed -- parking, traffic flow, shopping hours, merchandise selections and lack of a variety of stores.

The final report will be out soon. Here are some of the findings;

-- Overall opinion of Cape Girardeau as a place to do business: 40 percent excellent; 53 percent good; 6 percent fair; 1 percent poor.

-- Why do you visit downtown: Dine, 76.5 percent; shop, 53.4 percent; view river, 41.6 percent; special events, 37 percent.

-- Overall opinion of downtown Cape Girardeau as a place to shop: 60 percent fair; 30 percent good; 10 percent poor.

-- Attitudes about downtown: friendly sales people, 61.9 percent; quality of goods, 50.5 percent; safe environment to shop, 49.6 percent; positive future, 44.2 percent; attractive, 42.9 percent.

-- Attitudes about downtown (what businesses don't like): parking, 45.5 percent; shopping hours, 39 percent; variety of goods and services, 31.3 percent; smooth traffic flow, 20.4 percent.

-- Attitudes about downtown (customers likes) friendly sales people, 63.1 percent; safe environment to shop, 56.3 percent; clean, 47.2 percent, attractive, 40 percent. adequate shopping hours, 20.5 percent.

-- Attitude about downtown (what customers dislikes): parking, 43.7 percent. shopping hours, 34 percent.

-- Best shopping hours for customers: Highly convenient, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., 41 percent; noon to 5, 19 percent; 8 to noon, 11 percent.

-- Days of the week shopping: Highly convenient, Saturday, 56 percent, Sunday, 36 percent, Friday, 21, percent. Other days, 8 to 12 percent.

Rating shopping areas

Rating the shopping districts, on a 1 through 5 scale: Downtown (D), Town Plaza (T) West Park Mall (W):

Variety of stores: D, 2.6; T, 3.3; W, 4.0.

Quality of products/services: D, 3.3, T, 3.5; W, 4.

Attractiveness of window displays: D, 3.5; T, 3.1, W, 3.8.

Cleanliness: D, 3.4; T, 3.4; W, 4.

Parking convenience: D, 2.6; T, 3.9, W, 4.

Shopping hours: D, 2.8; T, 3.7; W, 4.

Food, dining: D, 3.7; T, 2.7, W, 3.4.

Special events: D, 3.7; T, 2.7; W, 3.3.

Entertainment: D, 3.4; T, 2.9; W, 3.1

Safety of parking and shopping areas: D, 3.1; T, 3.7, W, 3.8.