Over the past decade there has been a steady change in the way our personal lives have infiltrated the work place.
In a quest for attracting and retaining talent, we have blurred the boundaries of what activities should take place at home and what activities should take place at work?
Modern office workers can conduct all their morning rituals at work. They cycle to work, turn up in joggers, take a shower, leave their sweaty gym kit under the desk for all to enjoy, eat breakfast at their desk, leave dirty bowls in the kitchen sink, wander around in thongs until its really necessary to force their foot into one of the numerous pairs of shoes left under the desk, check face book & hotmail, and eventually when they feel ready and their morning ritual is finalised work begins.
Bringing your home-life into the office
Yes you may laugh but this is fact, frighteningly this behavior has become acceptable. Technology and changing behaviors have blurred the divide. We watch TV at our desks, we can order our groceries on line at our desks, we can have our dry cleaning dropped off at our desks, we can drop the kids at the onsite creche or have the kids in the office, so is there anything left that we do at home that we cant do at work - and visa versa!
More and more companies and organisations not only allow but encourage telecommuting. After all if the most important man in the world can run his schedule from his home office (The White Office) then surely we can?
For many individuals, working form home is the solution to the work-life balance conundrum. The autonomy and comfort from working form home instead of the mundane commute to and from work, early mornings and office politics make working form home sound very appealing. Yet how do you make the most of it? And when it comes to getting ahead, does out of sight mean out of mind?
Telecommuting is not for everyone, but if your jobs lends itself to working remotely and you are self disciplined and motivated you can reap the rewards effectively.
Tips to working from home:
• Start working at the same time. Treat tele work days like regular workdays: get up, get dressed, and be "at your desk" at the usual time.
• Establish a schedule. Keep work hours similar to the ones you would keep if you were working at your office. Your manager and your co-workers appreciate knowing when you are available.
• Be Proactive. Email people, call them, nudge them electronically - this may be enough to create a kind of presence.
• Limit distractions. Be careful not to replace office-based interruptions with home-based ones (such as children, neighbours, and friends).
• Plan ahead. Take the appropriate work home. Some work may be better suited for the home office than other work, so be sure to plan the tele-work a day ahead.
• Take breaks. Plan time to get up and move around. Consider going for a walk or a run during your lunch break to keep your mind fresh.
• Focus on objectives. Work with your manager and colleagues to define clear goals and objectives against which your performance can be objectively measured.
As more companies are trying to address the growing work life balance problem, alternatives to working the regular nine to five have proliferated, as its become increasingly apparent that less and less work is done in the work place, its also apparent that more and more work conducted from home is increasingly common practice. So with discipline and structure you can achieve the best of both worlds.
Tell us about it - Do you work from home? Would you like to work from home? What are the benefits or the drawbacks to working from home? (Share your thoughts below)
Simon Boulton is Director of accounting and finance recruitment practice Aequalis Consulting. He has more than 12 years of finance recruitment experience in London and Sydney, where he has launched multiple divisions for international companies. At Aequalis Consulting, he provides tailored strategies for companies in various industries to attract and retain the most talented professionals in the market. Visit www.aequalisconsulting.com.au.
