Does it work for you?

So you have the opportunity to work from home, along with many thousands of others in the UK.  But how do you make it work so that you and your employer get the best results from it?  A bit of prior thought and planning is necessary to ensure that it is practical, effective, and productive and enhances your own working style.  Not everyone finds it easy so be aware.

Set-up at home

Do you need a separate office area?  Where should it be – kitchen, sitting room, dining room, bedroom or the garden shed?  The choice is yours and will be determined by how much space you have available in the house or garden.  The ideal is a room to yourself that does not encroach into other areas of the house and that can have the door shut on it at the end of the day.   You do not want to be looking at it 24/7 unless you clear up at the end of each day.   A space that allows you to be set up permanently be messy or tidy, have few distractions and that does not get in the way of the other occupants is preferable.  

So if not in the house you can always consider the ‘Executive Potting Shed’!  This is a popular choice and gives all the mod cons – heating, lighting and the kettle.  It can of course be an expensive option sp needs careful consideration.

Will home working suit you?

It’s definitely a case of you won’t know until you try but do ask yourself some key questions in advance.  So I like to work with others around me all the time?  Do I work better when interacting face to face?  Or do I enjoy my own company and like the relative peace and quiet?  Can I achieve the interaction I may need socially from speaking on the phone, emailing etc?  Am I able to discipline myself so that I am not distracted by what needs doing in the house or garden or neigbours inviting you for a cuppa? If you answer these honestly you should know whether you are suited to it or not.  Then again you may think you are but when it comes to the crunch you hate it!! 

Can you do it all from home?

The work activities that you can carry out at home will greatly depend on what you do and how well connected you are to the office and outside world.  Telephone calls, emails, document production & reading are all fairly straight forward.  When it comes to meetings these can be done via a conference call – telephone or video – if technology allows, but in some instances you may need to be face to face in the same office as your colleagues.  Or indeed go and meet with your clients.  So there is a need to be flexible in how you approach the work you can carry out, meetings and communication – be realistic about what may be required.  

Productivity

The productivity issue is a big one that will probably give your employer more concern than you.  Research has shown that those who work from home are upto 30% more productive than when working in the office.  This is down to fewer interruptions, being more focused and disciplined, and spending more time working at your optimum time.  For instance, some of us work much better in the morning so the ability to actually start work at 6.30 a.m. rather than do a commute, helps your productivity. You may have worked a full day by 5.00 p.m. but you will have the satisfaction of achieveing everything that needs t be done and probably quite a bit more as well.  Yes you may well hang the washing out or give the dog a quick walk, but by being in a more conducive environment you are likely to work more effectively.  There is the risk of working too many hours at home and this in itself can be a downside so knowing when to stop work is important too.  So by being more focused and organised you should still remain productive and indeed exceed any objectives set by your boss or indeed yourself.

If working from home is new to you then there will always be a bit of trial and error in terms of where you work in the house, when and how long you work and what you wear to work.  Daft as it may sound some people find it strange to sit at home working and not be wearing a suit!  The pyjamas and slippers approach doesn’t work for us all, but it does save the ironing.

How to work from Home

• Create a dedicated space or room if possible
• Have the technology installed to allow you to work effectively
• Ask yourself if you like to work in an isolated environment
• Remember to call into the office as and when required – don’t become isolated
• Be realistic about what work can be done from home or not
• Be disciplined in your routine at home
• Understand what is your optimum time for working
• Enjoy not having to commute