This paper examines the economic and social drivers behind the upsurge in interest in home-based agents. While best practices are still emerging, the work-at-home agent model is currently characterized by a broad range of approaches implemented by in-house and outsourced contact center management teams. Moving past the phenomenon of casual, one- or two-day-a-week home agents, some centers are creating “seldom-see” and “never-see” home-agent models. This paper addresses the unique management challenges inherent in these models and explains why a workforce optimization (WFO) infrastructure is a key factor for success in this environment.