Would you prefer to work in an office, or at home? It seems like these days, more and more companies are considering that choice, as they move away from providing office workplaces and transition to working from more remote locations. Here are some details from Jeanne Sahadi of CNNMoney.com.
Picture this: Working full-time with benefits from your home or local park or favorite mountaintop.
Sounds like nirvana to anyone who slogs through grinding daily commutes, finds getting work done at the office difficult, or just needs more flexibility to take care of family needs.
So-called remote working, however, has become a reality for many people.
While only about 4.5% of full-time workers telecommute every day, a growing number of companies have gone all-in on working remotely, according to Sara Sutton Fell, CEO of FlexJobs.
That is to say, there is no company office or headquarters. Instead, staff members work from … well, any place they like. They may live in the same area or they may live in different time zones.
Even some corporations now have whole departments that work remotely.
Technology, of course, is essential to making it all succeed. But remote jobs aren’t just for tech geeks.
Accountants, lawyers, grassroots groups, travel specialists, educators, marketers, consultants, writers and others are among those who hold full-time, white-collar jobs with benefits at companies that have embraced the perks and perils of remote work.
Those who run remote-work companies say letting everyone work where they want helps them recruit the best talent from anywhere in the country, if not the world.
It can be a cost saver, too, since there’s much less overhead. No headquarters, no rent.
Plus, it can be a lot easier to clearly assess employee performance.
“In an office it’s easy to look busy at a desk and be a nice person. Online, you have to get your work done,” said Aaron Bright, CEO of Hippo Education, which produces educational videos and podcasts for doctors.
But remote working can be a challenge for even the most productive employees if the company isn’t run well. Managers need to support workers by clearly communicating expectations, offering regular feedback and giving clear guidelines about deadlines, said Fell, who also founded remote.co, which advises businesses on remote working.
For employees, the biggest upside is greater flexibility. You may still log long hours but you have more leeway as to when you put them in. Some of Fell’s employees, for instance, might take a few hours off in the middle of the day.
Bright says he doesn’t track his workers’ hours. And he doesn’t care if they prefer to work early in the morning or late at night.
