A 49-year-old father of two hits his alarm clock at 6:30 a.m., starts a pot of coffee, and prepares for his daily commute. For the past three years, Bill Lewis has worked for a large company based in the heart of New York, and even though his home in Texas is nearly 2,000 miles from the office, Lewis’ daily commute only takes him a few steps.

Along with a rapidly growing percentage of the United State’s workforce, Lewis is a telecommuter, a remote employee. He completes his daily assignments from his front porch, sends emails from a coffee shop down the street, and holds conference calls in his living room.

During the past 10 years, this type of work environment has become one of the fastest growing trends in the corporate world. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s annual American Community Survey, it is estimated that telecommuting rose 79 percent between 2005 and 2012. With the constant evolution of communication technology, this trend shows no signs of stopping. More companies are turning to remote employment as a means to lower costs and lock in skilled workers. It seems like a winning recipe, except for one large downside: Technology can never fully replace the intangible benefits of human connection.

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