Virtual Office Featured Article

Implement a Work-From-Home Program in Small, Measured Steps

November 13, 2015
By Tracey E. Schelmetic, TMCnet Contributor

Why do some companies appear to succeed with telecommuting, but others see no benefits and discontinue their work-from-home programs? Many companies have experimented with telecommuting, and not all of their efforts have been successful. Famously, in 2013, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer eliminated the company’s longstanding work-from-home program. She cited the need for tech workers to collaborate and said she believes that working face-to-face cannot be replaced by technology, particularly when it comes to innovation. The move didn’t earn her a lot of admiration from workers in the tech world, but it did set a precedent for at least one company: a week after Mayer’s decision, Best Buy (News - Alert) also eliminated its work from home policy.


In the meantime, many other companies have continued to implement work from home policies. There is evidence that working from home boosts productivity: workers don’t have to waste time sitting in traffic for twice-daily commutes, and they can get work done without distractions from coworkers or the well-known scourge of constant unproductive meetings. What’s really important, however, is the allowing workers to work from home at least occasionally gives them the flexibility they are hungry for to achieve a work-life balance, and as a result, telecommuting is an important element of employee engagement today. So how do you use telecommuting in a way that benefits both the employees and the company?

A new study released by the nonprofit Families and Work Institute found that whether telecommuting works or not is highly dependent on the employee. The best telecommuters are individuals who have a great deal of self-discipline and can work independently,” wrote blogger The HR Specialist for Business Management Daily. For other workers, it can actually hamper their careers.

“Employees who work away from the office miss many of the social aspects of working in an office. These include key alliances that may help advance the individual’s career,” wrote The HR Specialist. “Additionally, office interaction can often spur creativity that allows workers to solve problems and innovate.”

Companies that wish to try a telecommuting program should implement it slowly and carefully, experts say. Do a trial run allowing certain workers to work from home one day a week. Ensure that they know they might be monitored (through workforce management software, for example), and lay out the deadlines for projects that need to be accomplished to ensure that workers are working when they say they are. After the trial program is complete, evaluate the results and weigh the pros and cons. You may find that some workers are much better suited to home-based work than others.

“Employers that permit telecommuting should make it clear that their remote employees must still meet deadlines and quality standards,” wrote The HR Specialist. “Telecommuters should be continually evaluated to ensure they are meeting expectations. Employers should develop objective, measurable standards for evaluating telecommuters’ performance to avoid charges of bias.”

In other words, work-from-home programs don’t have to be an all or nothing concept. By using it in small doses and monitoring carefully, most companies can reap benefits: the work gets done and the employees remain content. 




Edited by Maurice Nagle

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