Whilst it may be easy for some, other job roles can make working remotely very difficult or even impossible. We’re here to tell you all you need to know about home based working and if it suits you.
Many business owners feel that it isn’t easy to work remotely. In fact, it is a lot easier than many believe. The two key factors are data, and the movement of it and telephony. Almost uniquely placed, here at Boldfield we are perfectly placed to advise and implement a remote working roll-out program.
We will co-ordinate the hardware requirement and provide and provision what is needed and then help to install and implement and teach workers how to set up their new connected home office.
What does working remotely mean?
Remote working, also known as working from home, is really as simple as it sounds. It is a working style which allows you to work outside of your normal job environment. This can involve creating new working spaces in your own home.
This means that instead of commuting to an office space each day, remote workers can complete tasks and projects from wherever they please. People tend to create spaces in their homes where they feel they can be productive as well as comfortable. These are known as home offices.
Working remotely isn’t suitable for everyone. There are various factors that can stop people from working at home. For example, if your job is more physical and hands on, it’s very likely that it cannot be carried out at home.
Setting up remote workstations for an entire business can be a tricky task. We can help set up all workstations quickly and efficiently to allow the continuation of your business.
Why do people work remotely?
You may be thinking ‘Why would somebody work from home?” or “Why would an employer let their employees work remotely?”. There are definitely both pros and cons to remote working. However, it can bring a range of benefits to everyone in the business.
From increased productivity to happier employees, let us enlighten you on how remote working could benefit you:
Benefits of working remotely for employees.
Flexible Schedule When Working Remotely
Working from home allows you to have the flexibility to do things that you normally wouldn’t be able to during normal working hours. For example, this can offer great benefits to parents who need to be present for when their children arrive home or if they are off sick. This can enable them to carry out their normal office based roles as well as personal duties, all in the comfort of their own home.
It’s also beneficial to individuals who are working but would like to focus on higher education. Whilst working remotely, they could schedule in time during the day to concentrate on an education course or a degree.
Custom Environment
If you normally work in a busy, fast paced environment, you may be faced with distractions which can slow down your productivity. Working in your own environment at home gives you the opportunity to create your own comfortable space.
Whether it’s choosing a specific genre of music to play or settling down in a space which only you can access, you can personalise your space to fit your working needs. By doing this, it can make it much easier to work on tasks and projects.
We can help with the setup of your remote workstation – making sure you have everything you need to get on with your work.
Increased Productivity
As we mentioned in our previous point, personalising your space can increase your productivity whilst working at home. With fewer interruptions, it can allow more focused work. It has been found that 65% of employees believe that working remotely would increase their productivity.
Benefits of working remotely for employers.
Saving Money
When your employees are working at home, they use their own electricity, phone lines and computers to carry out tasks and complete projects. Whilst they are doing this, it means that as an employer, less money is spent on power bills, office supplies and niceties.
Communication is key. If these facilities are not available to your employees at home, hosted telephony is a great option where phone calls can come through to both desk phones and mobiles – giving employees access at all times.
Environmental Impact
Employers and employees who work from home are most likely to communicate through telephone, email and video calls. Organising virtual meetings instead of commuting to a location can help protect the environment through reduced automobile emissions.
This can give your business a great reputation and your clients will definitely appreciate these alternative solutions.
There are plenty of ways to communicate other than meeting up and seeing someone. We have the experience to set up your own workstation to allow you to continue with your work as well as communicate with clients and colleagues.
Increased work on a day-to-day basis
Now your employees don’t need to commute to and from work, the time that would have been spent travelling can now be spent focusing on tasks and projects. This means that as an employer, you get more out of your employees whilst saving them 2 journeys a day.
Disadvantages to remote working.
As with everything, where there are pros, there are also cons. You shouldn’t let these disadvantages stop you from working at home. Instead, work out ways to try and avoid these problems:
Interruptions
If you live alone, this can be easily avoidable. However, for many individuals, interruptions can be heightened whilst working from home. They can include general household noise or disturbances from others who are also at home.
This can be a common problem for people who also have children at home. It’s important to let your family know when you are working and therefore unavailable.
Lack of equipment
If your workplace uses specialised equipment, it may be difficult to access this whilst at home. A lot of workplaces will provide you with equipment to take home and use. However, if this is not the case, the best thing to do is talk to your employer about other options that you could consider.
Our team has lots of experience in IT solutions. We can help you and your team set up practical workstations with all of the equipment you need. In order to communicate on a day-to-day basis, hosted telephony is a great way to access phone calls from multiple locations.
Work life vs home life
When in the comfort of your own home, it can be easy to fall into routines that you would carry out when away from work. It’s important to remember that whilst you are at home, you are there to focus on the projects and tasks that you would in your workplace.
Make yourself a plan of what to do on a day-to-day basis to keep yourself busy with both work and home tasks to complete after you have finished.
Conclusion
Working from home can come with multiple advantages and can benefit your business in the case of a disaster. Whilst we’re not all able to do it, if you can, it’s worth giving it a try in your business to see how it benefits you and the individuals you work with. If you would like assistance on how you could setup or improve your remote workstation, contact our Cambridge, London or Peterborough offices.