Articles
Isn’t being out of the office an excuse to slack off?
Only if you’re still working in the 20th century. Remote, mobile or home working is the new norm for large swathes of the workforce. A recent survey by Virgin Media Business predicts that, by the end of the decade, almost 60% of office-based employees will regularly work from home.
Why should we do it?
Any worker with more than 26 weeks of service now has the statutory right to request flexible working, so it’s not really a question of ‘should we?’, more of ‘when will we?’. Research by Stamford University has found that remote workers are 13% more productive than their office-bound colleagues. According to the Office for National Statistics, remote working also makes people happier, because they don’t have to commute as often.
But how do you know people are actually working?
Short of spy-cams in people’s houses and GPS-tracking chips in their clothes, you don’t. The consensus is that a remote or mobile working scenario is challenging for the manager because it involves a lot more trust. Calls and emails will help to assuage suspicions, and some managers advocate establishing a routine for this, to avoid the perception that you are checking-up on people.
Don’t people who work in a team need to be together?
Yes, and most research in this area notes that, for many companies, routine meetings will still be necessary. However, online collaboration and management tools are doing a great job at facilitating teamworking, especially for day-to-day tasks. There are lots of such tools, but try Asana or Trello as a free introduction to this software.
So that’s it – we can meet down the pub and collaborate online and I can close the office, then?
Not quite – some people still prefer the office. Many value the social aspect of office work in their lives. What is clear, though, is that a more fluid approach to work makes staff more productive and satisfied. The key message, and the attitude shift for some, is to favour productivity over presentism.