Home-Based Workers More Productive
by Candice Watters on 09/11/2007 at 4:10 PM
As one who knows intuitively the benefits and challenges of working from home, I was heartened by an article in Tuesday's Wall Street Journal that explores why work-from-home employees are often more loyal to their employers, more satisfied with their work and even productive in their outcomes than on-site staff.
The article, "Seeking Loyal, Devoted Workers? Let Them Stay Home," reports on the results of a survey of 10,000 workers by Kenexa Research Institute. Jack Wiley, executive director of the institute, said,
When companies allow employees to work remotely or from home, they are explicitly communicating to them that "I trust you to be dedicated to the accomplishment of the work, even if I'm not able to observe you doing it." It boils down to respect, he says, I respect you and I have confidence in your commitment to the work -- to do this under the conditions and at the time you feel will be most productive for you.
It's an encouraging article for people who already work from home -- a small 4 percent of the workforce -- but even more so for those who hope to someday. I believe young women who desire families should study and prepare for work that is flexible so they'll have options when their babies are born. There's nothing more confining than feeling like you have no choice but daycare and 40 hours a week.
Not only does working from home mean the possibility of caring for your own young children, it also, according to this article (and consistent with my experience), means a happier worker.
Added benefits, mentioned by Scott Berry, one at-home worker interviewed in the article, include "time saved not commuting, enjoying meals with his family, and not having colleagues interrupt him as they walk by his desk." It's not without downsides, as this same worker reported. Family can be a distraction, he said, "But I think productivity is better, not worse. ... There are distractions being a telecommuter, but there are distractions in the office, too."
For all the benefits, most employees still work for companies with what Wiley describes as "a command-and-control mentality." Thankfully research shows that "higher levels of employee engagement are predictive of higher levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty and improvement in market share," says Wiley.
Given that many workers will have to convince a reluctant employer to try it before being convinced work-from-home can work, this article is a keeper.
1. Jacob MT said the following at 6:28 PM on Sep 11:
Dad works from home, and we really like it. He can take work with him, so our schedule is very flexible. He is a workaholic, and spends most of the day in his office. We don't see him a signifigant ammount more than in a true 9-5 job, but he is always there.
I would like to work at home eventually, but don't know if it will be possible.
2. DannieA said the following at 8:14 PM on Sep 11:
I think this article is geared more towards business people...
Can you imagine no schools because all teachers are working from home?
Having said that, if you are able to do it, I say go for it.
3. Iris said the following at 12:16 AM on Sep 12:
I've been working from home part time since 2004 when I returned from maternity leave from our first. I had to "fight" to get permission to do so from the higher ups, but now it's working out really well. I work 20 hours, of which 14 at home. I did find that it is beneficial to go into the office once a week to keep up with mood and how everything is going (at first I only went in once a month), but maybe not all jobs require that.
The benefits? I get to spend more time with our girls and I can determine when I fill in my hours (for instance, during naptime). The downside? If I have to do boring work to do it can be hard to be motivated to work and the girls can distract me.
4. Samuel PG said the following at 12:25 AM on Sep 12:
I'm not sure how well I would be able to work at home with the family. The article says that there are distractions at home, sure, but there are distractions at the office as well. For me, the problem would be that I would want to be distracted by the distractions at home. Should I just keeping working on this form or put it off "just for a little while" so that I can draw on the sidewalk with my toddler, take my daughter out to breakfast or play catch with my boy.
Of course, I'm not married and do not yet have children, but I cannot help but think that this would be the case for me.
5. P&P said the following at 1:29 PM on Sep 12:
My company has tried this and the final decision is you can work at home, but you have to have proof of child care. We had problem after problem of people who were "working" from home but were never available during normal hours, always seemed to be "busy with the baby" during conference calls with clients, or had simply had excuse after excuse as to why things weren't done.
Working from home is fine in small doses, but I've seen better teamwork when all team members are present. As a general rule, I only telecommute when it's snowing, I need a car repair or I have a dental appointment.
6. Dee Wiley said the following at 1:44 PM on Sep 12:
While it is a nice perk for some forward thinking companies to give this flexibility to their associates, it is a rare thing to find the administrative staff getting the same flexibility. I am just starting to get a little more flexibility in my administrative role and do find that I tend to give the company a little more of my time. Previously I had considering leaving my company but with this new flexibility, it makes it hard to find a new job with the same perk. Hopefully, companies will begin to see that even the admin staff appreciates rewards too.