Virtual Office Resource

Working from home, once a much sought-after employment model that only a lucky few were able to take advantage of, is becoming more commonplace today. According to U.S. census data from 2010, employers are becoming more open to the model. In 2010, there were 13.4 million people who worked at least one day at home per week, representing a 4.2 million-person increase since 1997.

There are a number of reasons for this increase. For starters, companies are realizing that it can save money on building and energy costs and real estate investments. Companies hoping to attract the best talent have also realized that it’s a perk that employees seek, and some studies have shown that employees work longer and smarter when they can do it from the comfort of their homes. (It also eliminates the unproductive daily commute, and helps businesses meet their energy saving goals by helping take cars off the road.)

It’s technology, however, that has led the charge to making the work from home model more possible. The remote desktop solutions required in decades past have given way to voice over IP (VoIP) telephone systems, unified communications and cloud-based enterprise applications that allow employees to work from anywhere. For sales professionals, the model means more time on the road selling and less time in the office filing paperwork. For contact centers, it means companies can cut down on their physical facilities, spread their customer service hours over multiple time zones, employ workers in parts of the country with better labor pools and retain the best workers.Home-based workers can receive home office deductions on their income tax, and cut down on the money they spend on gas and childcare.

Darla Guillen, writing for the Houston Chronicle, recommends some productivity tips for home-based workers. For starters, home workers should schedule at least weekly phone calls with managers, co-workers and direct reports using an inexpensive cloud-based VoIP solution such as Phone.com that offers enterprise-level features such as call recording, transfer and analytics. She also recommends ensuring that home workers stick to a regimented schedule.

Distractions are everywhere when you work from home, and fighting the urge to procrastinate is easier when you set mini-deadlines for tasks throughout the day,” wrote Guillen. “This is especially true for at-home workers with children. If possible, set up childcare for a part of the day a few times a week. If children are in school, set your mini-deadlines around drop-off and pick-up times.”

With the right technology and a little self-discipline, working from home can become a cost savings and productivity-boosting model that can benefit both employees and their employers.