According to recent research by ILM, more than half of workers feel trapped by the rigid structure of their workplace. In fact, 74 per cent said that they wanted more freedom and flexibility, so it’s not really surprising that homeworking is a trend that many savvy employers are considering.
Flexible-working regulations
Flexible-working regulations mean you now have to seriously consider requests to work from home from all employees, who have 26 weeks service at the date the application is made.
Homeworking
Homeworking provisions vary between businesses, but the overarching principle is that you let your staff carry out their tasks from the comfort of their own space. They might do this once or twice a week, or it might be a more permanent solution.
It’s an approach that’s likely to be welcomed by those with caring responsibilities, and let’s be honest here... Probably everyone else, too. After all, no one enjoys doing the commute, or being stuck in an office all day long.
Your concerns
As a business owner, you’re likely to have a few concerns. Could it really work? Will it provide your staff with the temptation to sit twiddling their thumbs all day? Or is it actually a wonderful way to give your staff what they really desire, utilise the benefits of modern technology, and strengthen your reputation as a desirable employer who everyone wants to work for?
There’s no denying that there’s a lot to consider, if you’re to get it right.
Address your concerns and consider the following
Home working doesn’t mean that someone only works at home. A good solution can be to split time between home and the workplace. Or offering the benefit of occasional working from home, for example, during school holidays or when a personal appointment needs to be attended during the working day, they can log on from home.
A homeworker may also be required to attend meetings to keep them fully informed and involved in the business.
Some roles are just not suitable for working from home. You will need to ensure you have a clear policy, and that you offer a clear explanation of the business reason for not being able to offer working from home for a particular role. Perhaps you could consider offering some other form of flexible working for this role?
You need to think about how you’ll make sure that team members are in communication, and they all understand their responsibilities and how they fit into the bigger picture. In some cases, you’ll also have to look at how you can ensure that everyone has the equipment they need.
Consider the costs of homeworking, including any increased telecommunications costs for telephone bills or mobile phones. And the initial costs of training and providing suitable work equipment, including any adaptations to meet health and safety standards.
How will you ensure IT upgrades will be carried out? Another point of consideration is the security risk of information for people working from home. There are also some financial benefits to your business with savings on office space and other facilities.
Think about how you will monitor the performance of staff working from home, and how to maintain employee morale and team cohesiveness, when people are working from multiple locations.
Homeworking isn’t right for everyone. Some of your staff will crave face-to-face contact, and will be able to imagine nothing worse than just staring at the same four walls all day, with only their dog for conversation.
The benefits
Whilst there are many points to consider regarding homeworking, there is no denying that the demand for flexible working is on the increase. If you want your business to remain competitive and attract the best people, you need to make sure your business is keeping up with the times by offering them this type of working arrangement.
Offering benefits such as homeworking can improve employee retention and gives you wider access to people, as you aren’t so restricted on their location. This could also help by basing staff closer to clients who might be much further away from your actual headquarters.
The convenience and financial benefits to employees can help to increase productivity and motivation, whilst reducing stress and sickness. Health and wellbeing are essential to any successful business. If you’re not looking at ways to bring more flexibility into your business, you run the risk of staff leaving and losing out to your competitors. It might seem daunting at first but most changes often do to start with. Make sure your business is one that people want to be a part of.