The Pros and Cons of Employees Working from Home

These days more and more of our businesses are becoming digitalized, which is great in terms of improving efficiency but also means that having a physical premises for your business is become less of a necessity. This is beneficial in terms of outgoings however, there are a number of pros and cons to your workforce not being united in one place. So, if an employee asks if they can work from home, what do you need to consider before answering?

Physical Premises and Equipment

The most obvious benefit of employees working from home is that you save money. You will not need to provide a desk, technical equipment which can be expensive, or even refreshments, and the less people you have in your office the lower the utility bills will be. Luckily there is sso software which allows each employee to have their own personal platform on the network, making remote working a more inclusive option. However, they could have technical issues with their own equipment which you will not be able to help them with. Not having all employees together in once place can make management difficult and will dilute team spirit which could negatively influence motivation and productivity. If it is a particularly valuable employee it may be best to keep them in the office, otherwise they may become out of touch with how the business functions as whole, therefore taking themselves out of the race for possible promotions.

Employee Satisfaction

One of the main benefits of working from home is the positive impact it would have on the well-being of that employee. Many people feel much more comfortable working in their home environment without the stresses and strains of travelling to and working in an office with others. It allows for them to work around their own schedule which is really useful if it is a hectic one, and this can also be useful for you as an employer as you know that they have access to their work whenever you need them. It can be a strain for them if there is no clear start and end to their working day though. Depending on their home environment, it can be a more or less distracting place for them to work, which will impact their productivity.

Health

There are various health benefits to working from home for employees. Their usual routine is often stressful for them, for example having a long commute with lots of traffic, and the expenditure that comes with that including the need for a car or having to pay for public transport which is often late. They may also have to work with people they don’t like usually which is a difficult situation to be in. As an employer, you will no longer be responsible for their welfare, which in the case of some employees may usually be a significant responsibility.

Deciding to allow an employee to work from home can have a number of benefits and disadvantages to it, and it may be best to judge whether or not to allow it based on the kind of person they are. If you can see that they struggle in a working environment and to fit a normal working schedule into their routine, it may be the best course of action. Decisions regarding your employees can be some of the most difficult to make but luckily there are plenty of resources online that can help, like MeaningfulWomen.com.