Why Your Boss Should Let You Work From Home

Today is National Work From Home Day and it’s estimated that 5 million British workers will be avoiding the commute and the constant interruptions in the office by sitting down to some power working from the comfort of their own home.

As we pointed out earlier this week, many people claim to be far more efficient when working from home despite the fact that the term ‘working from home’ is still often accompanied by a wry smile or a cheeky wink.

So why do so many people work more efficiently away from the office and how can some of that efficiency and positive energy come back back into the office with them? The answers aren't always as obvious as you'd think.

1) Working in your pyjamas
For some people simply getting dressed for work can be stressful. Putting on their ‘uniform’ means getting ready to brave the masses on the journey to work and then go into combat with a day of meetings and projects. The occasional break from getting ‘suited and booted’ can change your outlook completely, allowing you to tap into the creative side of your brain rather than the business-like logical side you use for following routine.

Try This:
Pyjamas don’t work very well in the office but Dress Down Fridays or Dress Up Fridays do make a difference to the atmosphere of many businesses. Allowing staff to dress appropriately for each day’s working requirements will change the way they view their working day and can improve their performance.

2) Being the Boss for the Day
Nobody likes being told what to do or when to do it and a rigid structure can stifle the performance of many workers.

One company director I spoke with told the story of how his staff were complaining that their working hours were too long. He listened to their observations and implemented a new strategy whereby those who worked longer hours from Monday to Thursday could take Friday off or, if they chose to work on Friday, would be paid for it as an extra day. The result of the scheme was that most of the staff chose to work on Fridays and actually ended up working more hours in a week than previously. Clearly their original issue was nothing to do with the number of hours they worked and more to do with it being their choice to work these hours.

Try This:
Working from home provides more freedom for workers to plan what they do and when they do it. This is a strategy that bears fruit in the workplace too. Just because someone can be seen in the office doesn’t mean they need to be managed too closely. Allow people to take responsibility for their own workload and you may be pleasantly surprised at how they perform.

3) Taking regular breaks
People in offices are wary of being seen to be taking breaks but the natural daily rhythms of your body mean there are times for performing with maximum efficiency and times for slowing down a bit. When working from home people are much more comfortable with taking a stroll, flicking through a magazine, watching TV News, taking time out to exercise or prepare a healthy snack, running an errand, or even taking a short nap. These short bursts of different activities keep your brain fresh throughout the day.

Try This:
Allowing people to take catnaps in the office may seem like a step too far – though it does exist in some offices – but being creative about how workers can divide their day up leads to better time management and increased productivity. Establish the rules of give and take and everyone knows what's expected of them.