Flexibility boosts productivity and lowered
stress. That's science, baby.
For decades now, employers have been
staunchly divided over the merits of working from home. Some see it as a way to
appease workers, making them happier and more productive. Others view work from
home as a sort of business fool’s gold, a theory that works well in principal,
but ultimately leads to distraction and a lack of results.
Truth be told, I believe the answer lies
somewhere in between. Instead of insisting on an all-or-nothing approach at my
firm, I’ve formulated a hybrid composed of elements of both camps:
Employees come into the office four days a week but may work remotely
Fridays if they prefer.
And, here, I can visualize more than a few
CEOs shaking in their loafers at the notion of taking this leap of faith
with their employees. While the solution is ultimately subjective, based on an
employer's particular industry and environmental preference, here are five
reasons why your business may thrive when employees work from home one day per
week or every two weeks:
Employee satisfaction
Let's face it: The 9-to-5 office model is
going the way of the floppy disk -- it's obsolete. People are sick of the
formal, inflexible work environment and are seeking a more comfortable and
informal schedule, even if that means cutting into their own paychecks.
A poll from Global Workplace Analytics found
that of 1,500 tech professionals surveyed, 37 percent would sacrifice 10
percent of their earnings if they could work from home. More so, 36 percent
would opt for a work-from-home day instead of a raise.
Environmental impact
Aside from the favor CEOs are accruing with
their employees by moving the workplace to home base, they’re also positioning
themselves as stewards of the environment -- massively cutting down on carbon
emissions employees avoid when they don't have to commute, and instead
participating in meetings from their livingroom couch.
This argument has actually been quantified:
One innovative approach to eco-responsibility, the Open Work Program,
adopted by Sun Microsystems in 2007, was said to ward off 32,000 metric
tons of Co2 from the atmosphere because employees were driving less often
to and from work.
Even before wide adoption of communication
apps like Skype and Slack took the stage, workplaces like Sun Micosystems, with
its 24,000 employees, allowed work from home. Through its Open Work
program, Sun Microsystems allowed its entire staff to work from home or a
flexible office, either part or full-time.
Stress relief
“No stress, no
stress, no stress. You deserve nothing but the best.” Sometimes, you can’t help but quote Jesse McCartney’s
last chart topper. It's no secret that workplace stress is a serious problem
-- in fact, a study last year by researchers at Stanford and Harvard
showed that stress from work can be as dangerous as secondhand smoke.
So, maybe working from home is a
solution. By subtracting a commute and the potential mental anxieties that
come with being physically present in the office, a workday from home every
week or two weeks can go a long way.
Not to mention that the physical
proximity to family members can be comforting in the event of Armageddon. Yes,
working from home takes a bit of willpower, with laundry and daytime soap
operas as easy distractions, but with all the comforts nearby, it can be a
stress relief as well -- which helps everyone.
Recruiting ploy
Boy, do job candidates' eyes light up at
an interview when I tell them that we’re at home on Fridays. I get it: People
have lives as well as other interests. Whether it’s religious responsibilities,
kids at home or a thriving side hobby, the bit of extra flexibility and
time-savings that working from home provides can go a long way.
Ultimately, the best employees are those who
enjoy balance and harmony in all aspects of their lives. Letting people
work from home one day a week, is a huge perk and powerful recruiting tool
for nabbing and keeping the best and brightest talent.
Perhaps that's why many of the greatest
tech companies offer this perk.
So, don't go crazy -- oversight is still
needed and too much flexibility can be a bad thing -- but allowing
employees to work from home one day a week or every other week can be the
greatest thing to happen to your team. Try it and see.
Written By: Zach Cutler
Credit: Entrepreneur.com
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