As was covered in e-Bulletin Issue 45, the Government has in place a remote working strategy to encourage such working arrangements in the Irish labour market. It will be important that remote working is made available as an option for employees and potential employees wherever possible. Yet, there are challenges to accommodating working from home / working remotely which need to be met to realise the full potential and benefits for people to manage all aspects of their lives.
Challenges
- Some jobs will require people to come into or go to the workplace(s).
- Remote working does not suit everyone, and there will always be people who do not wish to work from home.
- Communicating through technology comes with delays. Walking to a desk and asking a question may take mere seconds, but online communication can take considerably longer to get a response.
- It can be more difficult to train new employees. There will often be small problems which could be solved by a co-worker in minutes which could take far longer online.
- Employees can become isolated from their co-workers as casual communication becomes much more difficult due to the distance and lack of informal spaces.
- Employees may find that their heating and electricity bills increase, though this may be offset by savings in travel and food expenses.
- Distance can make it more difficult to engage in the formal aspects of work including supervision, evaluation of the work being done, and coordination of projects.
- The home is filled with distractions and some people can find it difficult to create the same separation of work from their private life as they can in the office.
Benefits
- Remote working could make life easier for employees with mobility issues. Travel is tiring, and a lack of consistently accessible transport raises serious feasibility issues for people getting to work when required.
- For those without mobility issues, travel is also tiring, as on top of the hours people work they can be spending hours sitting in cars or on public transport. Not having to travel could leave people with more energy to put into both their work and their private lives.
- People can work from anywhere with a good internet connection. This can allow people to live in more affordable accommodation, yet apply their skills and experience in a place of employment that might provide a better fit and enhanced opportunities.
- Although the home is full of distractions, so is the office. Being at home people could have greater control over their environment. This can be especially of benefit to those with conditions such as ADHD where ambient noise can be difficult to tune out.
- People can have greater control of their workspace and customize it to be more comfortable and work better with their needs.
- Employees may also be able to avail of working from home tax relief if they have a formal agreement in place with their employer that they are required to work from home and are required to perform essential duties of employment at home – further information available on www.revenue.ie
Supporting remote working
- The provision of good and reliable communications resources is critical.
- Clear structures and clarity about what is expected of people, by whom and by when.
- At the same time there needs to be flexibility and so, for example, meetings and workload need to be scheduled appropriately.
- Encourage communication between employees and across staffing structures, through for example, regular check-ins, morning group meetings or weekly calls, whatever is necessary for people to keep up-to-date with each other’s work.
- Create opportunities for informal communication between co-workers. For example, a five-minute call with a more experienced staff member may assist a new employee to resolve an issue.
- Ensure people know to whom they can speak on a personal level, if there are particular issues they are facing and the time and support they need to address them.
- Provide opportunities for social interaction and team building so that people get to know their co-workers on a personal level.
- Acknowledge people’s work and celebrate success.