“I’m working from home today!”

Published 28 Jul 2010 08:00 0 Comments

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A huge number of us are working from home these days, but what are the rules about home-working?

A few years ago, if a colleague said they were working from home, you can bet there would be a number of people rolling their eyes in disbelief: after all, working from home was nothing more than a euphemism for “I had a few too many last night and I’m not feeling great - the sofa’s by the computer and the phone’s in my pocket…”

Most of us knew, back then, that the colleague in question would spend a few minutes checking emails, perhaps making a phone call or two, followed by a long siesta and a spot of telly; we just weren’t buying it. And yet they must have been doing something right because today a great number of workers spend part of their working week in their home office. So, what does working from home really mean - should you be chained to your desk from 9-5, or does it allow you the freedom to make a quick trip to the supermarket, get your hair cut, or visit the gym? And what does it do for team morale?

Of course, a lot depends on your manager, your industry and your character. Charles, a project director from Plymouth has worked from home for a number of years. The first time was when employed as a business development manager for an American pharmaceutical company. “It was the norm for everyone to work from home because people were travelling a lot - all over the country and abroad. We had meetings to catch up every now and again, but most of the time you were on your own.”

While it sounded good in theory, Charles found the lack of communication with colleagues and the lack of direction from his manager to be deeply un-motivating and soon left the company. However, it didn’t put him off working from home and today he is thriving in his new role as a project director. “We have a much more close-knit team as we Skype each other all the time. Skype wasn’t around before and it’s revolutionised how we work. You can feel part of a team while not always being present in the office. I travel a lot again for this job but always make sure I work in the office at least one day a week. There’s a great understanding between me and my boss - he knows that I always get the job done, even if I’m not always chained to my desk. I feel like I have a great balance in this role, and I repay my boss’s trust with hard work and dedication.”

Good communication with your team and manager is essential, but you also need to be clear about what’s expected of you. Sarah from Bath negotiated working from home for two days a week after she went back to her job in media after maternity leave. While she was grateful to her company for allowing her this chance, she found the fact that there were no written guidelines quite disorientating. “I wanted the flexibility to work in my own hours, allowing me to pick my son up at four o’clock and spend some time with him before his bedtime, and then carry on with my work once he was asleep. I was never sure whether this would be looked upon unfavourably, so I never dared to ask and I always felt guilty about trying to do both.”

Working from home is certainly on the increase and technology is just going to make it easier to stay in touch and connected with colleagues, all of which is a hugely positive thing. However, to make sure that it works to your advantage, identify your needs with your manager first, and talk about what is expected of you in terms of time-keeping - that way you will enjoy the experience all the more.

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