Ever work in sweat pants or maybe even in your pajamas? Are you commuting to work when it is 90 degrees outside or skipping the bad weather to stay in your bed? Working from home can sound like a dream come true – or you may be underestimating some of its pitfalls. Is working from home right for you? Find out!
Thirty-four million Americans are working from home and more than 4.5 million are in the U.K. The home office is seen as the ultimate perk. Sixty-six percent of respondents studied stated that they would work from home, if given the choice. It’s an easy choice.
If the corporate network is accessible from home, employees could conveniently log in from home and still have all necessary data and documents. Even at the management level, the home office is becoming increasingly popular with 14.6 percent of managers or senior officials in the U.K. currently working from home.
This isn’t surprising considering the numerous advantages that the home office offers. It allows for a more flexible, more self-determined work, as reflected from a higher job satisfaction.
If you want to convince your superiors to allow you to work from home, here are some strong arguments about its benefits. In the U.S., unscheduled absences are estimated to cost companies $300 billion annually. But the truth is – though you should leave this one out when speaking to your boss – more than three quarters of the sick leave isn’t due to illness, but rather due to stress, family issues and personal needs.
Meanwhile, teleworkers can fit their schedule to their capabilities. If they wake up with a morning headache, they can work in the evening when they’re feeling much better. Even personal appointments can be better coordinated around work. In addition, working from home is more productive.
Employees who work from home do their jobs more quickly and more efficiently and save as much as five hours a week – not to mention the commute time saved.
The employers can even save money. How? The company would need to rent less office space. The Dow Chemical and Nortel saved a whopping 30 percent of their rental costs due to teleworkers. The Wall Street Journal reported that by allowing employees to work from home three times a month, they increased revenue growth – even as much as 10 percent.
The question of whether your home office is right for you, isn’t always so clear cut. If you live in a one-bedroom apartment next to a construction site, will you be able to concentrate? It just becomes an additional stressor to be at home. Home office works best in a quiet and reasonably comfortable environment. Would you need to crouch on an uncomfortable couch, neither helping you nor your back as a result?
Can you stay motivated? Will you be disciplined?
These can be crucial factors you should definitely consider. If you are constantly distracted, eventually it isn’t beneficial. Another problem would be, if your unreliable computer crashes in the middle of an important Skype call with the Marketing Director.
Make a mental checklist before you ask your supervisor about working from home. Show that you are structured and can operate efficiently, even at home. Communicate that you will be reachable during regular working hours – either via phone or email. This should especially be true for executives who need to stay within reach of any unforeseeable problems from their employees.
