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Why companies are trying to make working from home work for you

 

<span style=font-size: 100%; font-family: Arial; data-sheets-value={&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Why working from home may not work for you&quot;} data-sheets-userformat={&quot;2&quot;:12801,&quot;3&quot;:[null,0],&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;15&quot;:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;16&quot;:10}>Why working from home may not work for you (Reddit)<br /></span>
Why working from home may not work for you (Reddit)

We get up in the early hours of the morning to get prepared for the workday ahead. We leave the house heading for our long commute from the front door to the four walls of our cubicles. We work our eight hour days, sending countless emails, answering phone calls and only leaving our cubicles for personal breaks. So why is it that in an advancing digital work space we even bothered coming into a physical office space?

It brings to light an even more important question – why don’t we all just work remotely? Just imagine the possibilities: A few more extra hours of sleep in the morning, working in your housecoat, not having to make small talk at the water cooler with your celebrity-obesessed co-worker.

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“In an increasingly competitive economic climate, a lot of companies are looking for ways to get an edge over others,” says Sheryl Boswell, Director of Marketing with Monster Canada. They’re also looking for cost-savings. With the advent of modern cloud-based technologies, companies are now able to more easily create a virtual business environment or enable employees to work remotely while maintaining productivity. As well, the world of work is changing – and many companies have recognized the need to respond to this change by offering more modern arrangements.”

According to Canada’s Telecommunications Industry’s recent surveys, they have found that over 70 per cent of full-time workers aged 18-29 would be more satisfied in their jobs if they could work remotely using cloud software. Older workers who were polled aren’t far off in that sentiment, either.  

Many companies making the shift

In the Canadian marketplace, we’re seeing the numbers of remote employees climb annually and how companies are adjusting to their empty cubicle space.

There are companies from across Canada that offer modern arrangements and we see many job postings that cite the availability of working from home,” says Boswell. “For example, a recent report from WANTED Analytics showed that nearly 4,900 open jobs in Canada noted the term “work from home” in their job posting. This represents more than 600 different employers. While we’re able to see when employers advertise for work-from-home jobs or roles in a home-based business, what job ads don’t tell us is if employers have informal work-from-home arrangements. We do know that some employers may allow work-from-home arrangements as a benefit or on a case-by-case basis.”

Tech companies have long been thought of as pioneers when it comes to allowing employees to work remotely, but they’re hardly the only ones giving the option.

“While it’s true that many tech-based organizations may be the first that come to mind when thinking about working remotely, a lot of companies outside of the tech industry are recognizing the potential that virtual environments can bring,” says Boswell. “This includes being able to work with talent that may be located in another city or region. As more companies become accustomed to virtual work arrangements, we expect to see more companies from all industries explore this trend.”

BDO Canada is one of many top Canadian employers who have started to move away from the standard in-office hours by allowing staff flexibility and see it as a value add to their firm.

Telecommuting offers many benefits to companies and individuals alike,” says Sarah McCurrie, Director of Human Resources, BDO Canada LLP.  “It allows individuals to achieve their personal and professional goals. Staff who work from home generally find it easier to fulfill family commitments, take time for personal fitness or take a night course in an area of personal or professional development. A positive work/life balance makes for more engaged employees.”

Figure out what works for you

As more organizations become comfortable with remote employees and arrangements, it is expected the trend will continue to develop here in the Canadian job market. Some employers are starting right from the hiring decisions that they are completely comfortable and encouraging remote work while other organizations are finding they need to increasingly bend to allow employees to work at least part time from time.

“When teams or individuals work remotely, I always recommend that they schedule regular touchpoints with their manager via teleconference, and regular update meetings with the team so that everyone understands the important part they play not only in the team’s goals, but in the success of the organization,” says McCurrie.

There are some definite upsides to remote work, but there are plenty of downsides, too. Take these highlights and lowlights of remote working into consideration before making the switch at your job:

  • PRO: Forget interruptions from having your colleagues drop by your office for a quick chat or having to listening to your neighbor cube mate’s blaring radio all day. You’ve just earned yourself a quiet work space where you can keep on track and let your creatively shine.

  • CON: Bye-bye brainstorming sessions! Working remotely can hinder your ability to creatively brainstorm or get feedback from your colleagues on a current project or proposal.

  • PRO: No more rush hour commute or over-packed train journey to kick off your morning or to cap off a long day. Not only does this save on your sanity but also puts money right back in your bank account.

  • CON: Not all the pleasure from your job comes from the work itself or the paycheque. The personal relationships and comradery between peers can be the lift you need when faced with the daily drudge.

  • PRO: Children at home for the summer or need to be picked up from school at 3:00? That can easily be arranged when you work from home. By readjusting your schedule to allow for time with your kids, you’ll increase your family time and cut down on outrageous child care costs.

  • CON: Remember work life flexibility? It can be increasingly hard to “turn off” from your work if it becomes part of your home life as well. Having a home office or a specific place where you work while at home can help remedy the situation but working from your kitchen table can be hard to walk away from when you’re browsing through your emails over dinner and the next thing you know – it’s 11p.m.

  • PRO: Feel like it’s time for a move? Maybe there’s another part of the country you’ve always wanted to explore or you’ve found a great investment opportunity that takes you outside of transit line. Working remotely gives you the opportunity to think outside your city walls.

  • CON: Computer goes up in smoke or you can’t connect to the internet? Forget just popping over to your nearest IT saviour. You need to take on the role of tech support and try your best to fix the problem (or you’ll end up using your laptop as a paperweight – whatever comes first).

  • PRO: There’s nothing worse than having meeting after meeting and never really coming to an agreement. When you have limited face time with your peers and management – you’re going to make the most of that time and get through the subjects that are most important to bring to the table.

  • CON: A picture may say a thousand words, but a smile or even a raised eyebrow can say plenty, too, when it comes to sharing your eyes with your peers and managers. Reading facial expressions doesn’t come easy behind a computer screen.