COVID-19 is accelerating change – Working from Home (Part 2)

 

Last week I investigated why working from home is a strong financial option for companies and what the issues and risks are.

This week I look at the problems of working from home from a personal perspective.

So what are the problems of working from home –

  1. Accountability & performance of staff working from home

  2. Staff not having a suitable work environment in their own homes i.e. working on your laptop at the dining room table or in front of the TV. Not having suitable infrastructure like printers and desks.

  3. Separating home life from work life

  4. Human interaction and the lack thereof

 

These issues are all easily overcome. Now I have run a Project Management company for 16 years out of a home based office, so I feel I am particularly qualified to answer these issues. Let’s go through each of them –

 

Accountability

The old idea that staff will slack off as soon as they work from home is true if you are not providing clear KPI’s and your staff do not have clear direction on their role and what outcomes are expected. This is a staff management issue, not a staff personal problem. I acknowledge there will always be that 10% who slacken off no matter what you do…get rid of these people, they are weighing your business down whether they work from home or your office.

 

Work Environment

I own an old Queenslander and my office is built under my house. It is set up as a proper office with desks, printers, filing etc. It has been very important in my 16 years to have a room that is my “office” separate from my “home”. This engenders a sense of work. It can work as easily in a spare bedroom of a single story house.

As an employer, if you are saving $200,000pa on rent and you spent $10k per staff member to set them up with equipment, desk and general environment at home, you’re still coming out ahead financially.

 

Separating Home from Work

This is partially taken care of by having a separate office environment, it will never happen if you are working from the lounge room. This is also where education comes in. For example there are three key elements I attribute to my success in working from home –

  • Getting dressed for work. Don’t work in your pyjamas.

  • Compartmentalising my life. Separate work time and home time and ensure your family understand and respect those times

  • Separating your workspace from your home space

 

Human Interaction

This is an interesting one. When I started on my own there was limited internet and no Zoom or Skype. Some work environments require close interaction with staff to bounce ideas and discuss outcomes. This issue is being resolved somewhat through Zoom and other video meetings but it doesn’t solve the human interaction issue. That is where compartmentalisation and education again come to the fore. Ensuring there is time when staff can get together, and also ensuring they have the right software and equipment, and most importantly that you have a strong Human Resources strategy.

 

So the key issues really come down to two items –

  • Accountability

  • Human nature

 

If there is one thing the virus has demonstrated, and I have experienced for 16 years, is that working from home is an achievable outcome especially with todays’ technology, providing you have strong KPI’s and clear expected outcomes, combined with a strong Human Resources strategy.

 

If I’m right, what does this mean for the office tower of the future?

 

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Lauren Rosel