Working from home offers a whole new set of possibilities in how companies can operate and organize their operations. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which began in March 2020, provided workers and employers an understanding of home-based working, as commercial facilities were forced to close due to government requirements to safeguard the public health.
Before the coronavirus pandemic it was commonplace to work from home. increasing as more employers realized the benefits it brings to their company and better work-life balance of their employees. Even if doing work from home is beneficial to your business employees who have completed 26 weeks of work experience have the legal right to ask for flexible working arrangements, like home-based working, and employers must seriously think about these requests.
Benefits of workers working from home
With more and more employees who work from home or using their home as a work base for at least a portion of the time There are numerous advantages for companies including:
Flexibility and agility
The flexibility of home-based work allows for greater agility and flexibility in work arrangements. Since employees are no longer restricted to a desk or a desk, they could be more suited and willing to work at a variety of times such as later or earlier in the daytime or during weekends. This could allow you to meet specific needs of your business, such as when you trade with clients who reside in an area with a different time zone.
Better retention of employees
The flexibility of home working could help retain employees since the flexibility offered by working from home will allow them to meet childcare requirements, decrease their commute , and allow them to manage their job schedule with their own personal lives. When employees are able to work at home, employees will also have a higher level of trust from their employers which could contribute significantly to the loyalty of staff.
Attract new talent
The option of working from home can be used as a way to motivate employees to work for you. This will help you bring in new talent to your company. Just offering the option for working at home provide you with an advantage on the market for jobs over those who don’t provide home-based work as an option for employees.
Improved productivity
Because of fewer interruptions that are typical in a workplace. Working at home creates peace and quiet, which allows for focussed work. There is a chance that some employees would like to extend their contracted hours to are able to cut down on time spent traveling to and from work.
Motivation of staff members has increased
Working from home, employees will be more dependable to their employers since the relationship isn’t as tightly monitored , and employees are given some autonomy to focus on their job. Employees will also feel more comfortable creating a work schedule at home that is more suitable for them and this could result in their motivation to be their top performance.
Better health and well-being of staff
Homework is a great way to eliminate the necessity for a long commute to work, which could stress your employees. The time savings can also allow employees to enjoy additional health benefits, such as extra sleep and time spent with their family, working out or cooking healthy food choices.
Financial benefits
Save money on the cost of office spaces, office equipment utilities, and other services. Employees might also avail tax-free allowances offered by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to work at home.
Convenience
It is possible that you have employees who frequent visits to customer sites and consequently not at work. Letting them work at home could be more efficient and can lead to additional cost savings and time.
Balance between work and life
Homework helps employees to improve their lifestyles, for instance, staff who could have commuted can now make use of that time creating the foundation for a more harmonious work-life. Employees are also able to manage household chores during their schedules which gives them more time at night, for example taking the dishwasher out for loading and unloading or cooking dinner during their lunch break.
Technology can make life simpler
The internet has enabled employees to remain connected to their workplace. Tools like Skype allow collaboration between teams and colleagues more efficient and could result in more effective and efficient meetings.
Absences due to lower sickness
The employees are more likely feel more relaxed and happier when taking work from home jobs, and thus less likelihood for their health being adversely affected by burnout. Additionally, since employees are in an isolated environment it is less likely to be a source of infection spreading, as could be the case in working in an office.
Disadvantages of employees working at home
Although there are some drawbacks when working at home, the majority of them are related to those who work from home for the entirety and not just a part of their work week:
Home-based work isn’t for everyone.
Home-based work may not suit every person’s temperament or abilities. Certain employees may prefer the structure and routine that an office setting provides. Certain employees may prefer personal contact with their colleagues and find face-to-face interaction by their bosses extremely helpful to assist them in completing their tasks and reach their goals. Also, you must be aware of employees who have disabilities. Being at home can have an adverse impact on the assistance they require to perform their work. It is also possible that working from home does not work for everyone’s family life, for example, some parents have children who may not know boundaries and create disruptions throughout the working day. Other people might not have the space to have the ideal working environment.
Staff feel isolated
People who work from home might be unable to connect with their colleagues and the organization in general, which offices naturally allow. To overcome this issue, employers can ensure that communication is frequent. This means that by scheduling quick calls to catch up or regular team gatherings using other tools such as Teams, Skype or Zoom Staff are given more opportunities to feel included in the company and feel part of it. Social gatherings that are more informal and casual will also reduce feeling of isolation.
The difficulty of monitoring the performance
There may be difficulties controlling home workers and keeping track of their performance. People with different personalities can react to the monitoring process with different levels of optimism. It is possible to set goals and objectives with employees who are easy to measure to ensure that if the goals aren’t being achieved, you are able to detect and correct any issues with performance in the early stages.
Home distractions
While home-based work isn’t as distracting, it can still be a distractions that can be present in an office, If a person does not have a quiet, private work space at home, they could be easily distracted by noises from the home or the other household members.
The possibility of burnout
If an office offers distinct physical separation between home and work and home life, it can cause employees to struggle to distinguish between work-life and the home life. This could result in employees struggling to figure out when to stop work which could lead to longer working work hours, stress levels and eventually exhaustion. Employers must encourage their employees to take breaks regularly as well as remind employees of the necessity of taking their time off.
Cost of working at home
The initial costs for training and the provision of appropriate equipment, such as mobile phones, laptops, as well as other equipment for IT. It is also necessary take into consideration adaptations in order to ensure that you meet safety and health requirements.
Staff development issues
It is possible that having staff members near to one another can hinder the development of staff and enhancing their capabilities. You can however encourage staff to use the chance to develop new skills through online courses and events.
Information security risks
Security issues with information are more likely to arise when staff work at home. There is a higher risk of security issues with laptops that are taken home and the need for employees to connect to servers remotely. Employers should make sure they put steps in place to secure corporate information through the installation of encryption programs and remote wipe applications in the event that mobile devices supplied by you disappear. Virtual private networks can also secure your data, and give secure access to computers via the internet. This can help keep your data and files secure and accessible to your employees.
Negative effects on mental health
The transition to working from home can affect the mental health of your employee when they’re unable to establish the right routine for them, or are struggling to keep work and home life, or feel isolated. To encourage your employees to establish their own routines create a specific area for work and set limits for household members. Provide more opportunities for employees to stay in touch via regular conversations and group meetings. Healthy eating and regular exercise can aid in improving mental health, especially when they are integrated into your daily routine.
Staff morale has deteriorated
It can be difficult to keep team spirit intact when employees are at home by themselves.
Not all jobs are suitable for work from home
The flexibility of working from home is beneficial for certain tasks better than other jobs. Also working from home can suit certain types of personalities however not all. Some individuals may prefer to have contact via face-to face communication.
Low broadband speeds
Be aware that, based on the location where your employees live, they may not able to access broadband speeds that will allow them to perform their duties efficiently, for example rural broadband can be extremely slow.
The coronavirus outbreak has given certain employers, who might not otherwise have considered working from home as an option for employees, an knowledge of the effects it has on their employees and business. Employers are now able to gain firsthand knowledge of the benefits and drawbacks of working from home. This knowledge can prove helpful in helping employers figure out the future direction of their work methods that improve their company.
Hybrid working method
The shift to working from home does not mean that employees must work from home. It is often the case that splitting their time between home, other locations that are remote and working from home is the most efficient method. It is possible for your employees to give feedback on their experience working from home to be able to engage them with the procedure of creating the hybrid working policy.
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