Why Working From Home Works

I never thought I would like working from home. My husband has worked from home ever since I have known him, with the exception of a two year stint of a grinding one hour commute each way for a job he could have done at home and a year that he commuted on weekends from Reno for a job that also could have also been done from home. He is the most disciplined home worker I know. He gets up very early  every morning and because he works with east coast clients, he showers and gets dressed and actually puts on shoes, something I have never understood.

Obviously, there are many jobs that can never be done from home. But as we have now learned due to the pandemic, there are a lot of roles that can be performed from just about anywhere. Many employers in the past worried about employees remaining productive while working at home. Those workers that aren’t disciplined enough to do it will reveal themselves pretty quickly.

Survey says…

Statistics show two-thirds of managers’ report that employees who work from home increase their overall productivity. 86% of employees say they’re most productive when they work alone—devoid of distractions like inefficient meetings, office gossip, or loud office spaces. In a Stanford University study, employers who offered a work from home option, had employee turnover rates fall by over 50%. A separate survey found that 80% of respondents would be more loyal to their employers if they had flexible work options. On the other hand, that same survey found that 30% of employees have left a job because it did not offer flexible work options. Expectations around remote work options have changed, if employers won’t allow it, they better have a clear reason why.

Communication changes

When my husband was working in an office, he constantly complained about all of the distractions and interruptions during his day. Some people might say that those interruptions build rapport with your coworkers or leadership and allow for spontaneous meetings and discussions that can be very productive. Instead of popping into someone’s cube with a question, you may need to send three emails to get the same response. Communication has to be strategic and relentless when remote.

Stay connected to the home office

For a brief period of time, I worked for a New York City based firm. A lot of their employees were remote, so virtually every meeting we had was a video conference. I knew I had to be camera ready from very early in the morning in case a surprise video call popped up. Did I usually have yoga pants on and bare feet? Yes. But I tried to keep it business casual on top. But there is something to be said for the face to face human connection. When I visited the headquarters office in NYC, it gave me a much clearer understanding of the culture and vibe of the company. When we are gathering again, periodic visits to a home office or staff get-togethers are critical to have some real face time that you just can’t get via video or a phone call. And make sure you have regular check-ins via video with your supervisor to get the necessary feedback you need so you don’t feel detached. There’s nothing like reading body language and facial expressions to get a true sense of what someone is thinking.

Beware of social isolation

I had never worked at home and when I started a few years ago, it was rough. My daughter was away at school and my husband was commuting home on weekends. I was lonely and didn’t leave the house for days at a time. I went from having people around me constantly to no face to face interaction at all. I felt guilty when I did anything that wasn’t work related during the day. But I also worked longer hours and had trouble turning off the work since I lived and worked in the same space. Once I realized that because I did work long hours it was ok for me to take a break and do a household chore on occasion. I started making sure I left the house daily, even if it was just for a walk, so I didn’t look at the clock and realize it was 3:00 pm and I hadn’t showered yet. Create a daily discipline.

Manage your distractions

While it’s fine to throw in a load of laundry during the day when we work at home, we do have to set some ground rules. For example, in our house the TV never goes on until 5:30 pm. Whatever rules and practices work for you, stick to them. It can be hard when there are dogs barking and kids bugging us, but it’s about discipline for them and you. Create a quiet space to work where you can close out the distractions, even it’s a closet.

Keep it professional

It’s time for companies to have a long term remote digital strategy in place. Employers might want to offer coaching resources regarding what makes a good video conference environment, that includes lighting, camera position and clothing. It’s important to understand the features of various types of conferencing out there and how to use them. There are many tutorials online. Video conferencing is here to stay whether it is with coworkers or clients. While it seems silly, it does matter when you are trying to establish a professional image. First impressions are tough to reverse. Make sure all attendees know how to mute their camera and audio so when they join what they think is only an audio call, but is actually a recorded video call, you don’t get the gift of an attendee popping on with no shirt on. Yep, that happened on a recorded webinar I was participating in. Seems obvious, but I am sure we have all seen some rough video conferencing situations. Pretend your best client may knock on your door at any time during the work day—would you be ready?

I think we are going to see a new wave of permanent home workers once business gets back on track. Even though most supervisors didn’t have a choice to let employees work from home during the pandemic, they will see that their employees remained productive or even became more productive. Think of the money saved in office space. Working from home may mean less stress and expense from driving, more time for healthier meal prep, exercise and certainly more family time. This is all the more reason to have a place called home where you can comfortably work and play. While I do miss the days when I had a constant flow of people in and out of my office all day long, I have found peace in my home office.

“The main advantage of working at home is that you get to find out what cats really do all day.” ~Lynne Truss