Coworking: the latest entry on your expense report

Great news — Workforce Management reports that a growing number of companies are willing to foot the bill for telecommuters to work in coworking spaces. They offer the example of Chris Jurney, a senior programmer with Relic Entertainment, who left the company, and Vancouver, to move to Philadelphia.

Jurney found other work but it wasn’t long before Relic asked him back, offering him the chance to work long distance. He jumped on it, but found working at home too isolating. He hooked up with the good folks at Independents Hall, where he was much happier. Knowing that happy can mean more productive and that programmers of Jurney’s caliber aren’t a dime a dozen, Relic agreed to pay $275 a month for him to remain ensconced among other creative folks.

Now that’s working smarter. Here’s hoping this will grow into a bona fide trend with more employers coming to understand that when you offer your workers options like telecommuting, and then support them in working in supportive environs, it’s good for all involved.