Remote Working - A CV Centre Guide

In 2002, the UK Government passed the Employment Act stating that any employee with children under the age of six should have the right to request flexible working hours and that all employers should be obliged to give such requests serious consideration. Since the introduction of this legislation many more people have chosen to work from home with the aim of achieving the optimum work-life balance.

The advantages of working from home

There are a number of benefits of remote working, one of which is being able to minimise the time spent commuting and the expenses incurred as a result. This in turn can make the working day shorter thus allowing people to have more free time to spend with their families. Also, working from home does allow greater flexibility to deal with any unexpected incidents that may occur throughout the day. This can lead to a generally happier employee which in turn can often lead to increased productivity.

Employers offering flexible working practices are seen as particularly desirable by prospective employees and they can also enjoy increased staff retention and loyalty as a result. There are significant cost benefits to the encouragement of remote working. For example, office space can be reduced which will then have a positive impact on the company overheads. Some employers operate a desk-share system whereby staff who regularly work at home do not have their own desk in the office but are allocated desk space as and when required. Also, increased levels of staff retention result in reduced costs in terms of recruitment and training of new staff members.

There is also an environmental advantage to remote working in that the reduction in commuting will have a significant effect on carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions. Congestion in major traffic hot spots should also be reduced as a result.

How to make remote working a success

In order to make working from home possible, there are some important considerations for both employers and employees. The first of these is to ensure that the necessary technology is in place to enable effective remote working. The introduction of Broadband technology and Virtual Private Networks (VPN) means that employees can now have access to office systems from their home computers while also offering employers the reassurance that their data remains secure. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) means that employees can make business calls from their home telephones which are charged to the company rather than to their own telephone bill. These new technologies are getting cheaper every year making them even more attractive options for employers. Wireless Internet connections (WiFi) are now commonplace and mean that work can even be done when travel is necessary, for example, to attend meetings.

Video conferencing enables people in remote locations to communicate directly with each other and also means that data can be shared by being converted into electronic signals. So, even meetings with clients or colleagues can be conducted in the comfort of your own home without the need to travel.

Instant Messaging allows people working from home to keep in regular contact with their colleagues in the offices so that they can seek support and assistance when required and can be kept updated with any important information.

Overcoming possible difficulties and objections

Once the remote working technology is in place, it is important to establish effective management and support structures. Not everybody is actually suited to working from home because it does not allow them face-to-face contact with their colleagues on a daily basis. Whereas some will find that they are much more productive working by themselves, others may feel that the lack of direct contact with others within a supportive office environment hampers their progress. Therefore, people working from home require as much interaction with their manager as their office-based counterparts. Also, managers and employees alike may benefit from being given specific training to enhance their understanding of how to make remote working a success. Employees need to be trained in how best to manage their time effectively and managers need to be trained in the specific skills necessary for the management of remote workers.

It is argued that people working from home may lack the required motivation to enable them to complete their daily responsibilities and this, in turn, can result in their managers losing trust and confidence in them. Office-based colleagues have been known to harbour feelings of resentment towards remote workers and these are all issues that need to be handled very carefully. Remote workers still need to feel that they are valued members of the team and should therefore be given the same access to company information and team activities. This includes any available training courses that will enable them to have the same opportunities for advancement as their office-based colleagues.

The work allocated to remote workers should be appropriate in terms of it being suitable for completion away from the office but it should also be significant enough for the employee to feel that their role is of value to the company.

The environment in which a remote worker will be based should be assessed to ensure that it complies with health and safety legislation. Any work-related incidents that occur within a remote worker’s home can actually be the responsibility of the company so this is very important.

Managers are also responsible for ensuring that remote workers take regular breaks, including lunch, and that they do not feel tempted to work overly long hours. It can be easy to fall into the trap of working late into the evening simply because the work is always to hand.

The future

Remote working can be extremely effective and efficient for companies and their employees alike. As long as careful consideration is given to ensuring that the appropriate technology and support structures are in place, there is no reason whatsoever why more people cannot start to enjoy the benefits of working from home.