Work from home: The way forward

The Covid-19 pandemic has given some employers a practical insight into how working from home affects their business and employees. It has enabled employers to have first-hand experience of the advantages and disadvantages of home working. This experience can be very beneficial in feeding into the future direction of employees' working practices moving forward

Before the pandemic, WFH programs at most service organizations had strict qualifying criteria (e.g., performance, tenure, etc.), so few employees were offered remote flexibility. Other organizations offered informal or temporary arrangements, in which managers would allow employees to work from home on a case-by-case basis for personal matters that required time away from the office (e.g., medical appointments, home maintenance issues). Pre-pandemic bias against remote workforce models now seem particularly unfounded given that employee performance has largely remained consistent or, in some cases, even improved.

Since the mass shift to working from home, many service leaders report growing concerns for the future of their company culture. However, Gartner research shows remote and hybrid workforce models don't challenge culture as much as anticipated. In fact, most customer service employees who work remotely say organizational culture has remained the same - and most of those who do think it's changed actually say it's improved. Among the risks to watch for: Remote employees feeling disenfranchised or on-site employees reaping benefits solely because of their physical presence - either directly through being assigned certain work due to their location or indirectly because they participate in more in-person collaboration.

Home working enables more agility and flexibility in working arrangements. With employees no longer tied to an office, they may be better placed and more willing to work flexible hours such as earlier or later in the day or even at weekends.

Working from home can help employees improve their work-life balance - staff that would have had to commute will now be able to use that time for themselves giving the basis for a better work-life balance. Staff are also able to fit in household chores around their working day giving them more free time in the evenings - loading or unloading the dishwasher or preparing dinner on their lunch break. The internet has made it possible for staff to be continually connected to the office. Tools such as Skype have made communication between colleagues and teams much easier and at times can lead to more efficient and effective meetings. Working from home can feel like a break from the office even though staff are still working. Working from home staff will feel more energised and will be able to spend more time with their family and therefore will not feel the need to take as much leave. However it is your duty as an employer to ensure staff take their holidays - see know how much holiday to give your staff.

The disadvantages of working from home might not be suited to everyone's personality or ability. Some employees might prefer the routine and structure that working in an office environment provides them. Some staff may prefer personal interaction with colleagues and also find face-to-face guidance with their manager extremely beneficial in helping them complete tasks and achieve their goals. You also need to be mindful of employees with a disability. Working from home may have a negative impact on the support they need to do their job. Working from home may also not fit in with everyone's home-life - some people may have young children that may be unaware of boundaries and cause interruptions during the working day. Others may not have the physical space required to create a suitable dedicated working area.

Individuals working from home may feel a disconnect from their colleagues and organisation as a whole that an office environment naturally allows. To address this issue employers could ensure that communication is more regular. So by scheduling quick catch-ups by phone or regular team meetings through other technologies like Skype, staff are given more opportunity to feel involved and part of the team. More informal and social catch-ups would also help counteract any feelings of isolation. Where an office provides a clear physical distinction between work and home life, working at home can lead to staff forgetting to differentiate between work-life and home-life. This may lead to employees finding it difficult to know when to switch off from work leading to longer hours, increased stress and inevitable burnout. Employers should encourage their staff to take regular breaks and remind them of the importance to take their leave.

The Covid-19 pandemic has given some employers a practical insight into how working from home affects their business and employees. It has enabled employers to have first-hand experience of the advantages and disadvantages of home working. This experience can be very beneficial in feeding into the future direction of employees' working practices moving forward.