Essay on the Advantages and Disadvantages of Working From Home for Companies and Employees

Working from home involves the employees accessing their jobs through virtual teams and remote access either on full time or part time basis. It comes with a variety of benefits ranging from an increase in productivity of staff and their motivation. The practice is increasingly being adopted by many employers since companies are changing and adopting flexible policies while employees are working on maintaining their work-life balance more so women. Employees wish to keep their jobs and also ensure their family life is not affected which necessitates working from their homes a trend that has significantly increased in the last decade. Many companies have however not come up with clear policies with guidelines on working from home despite the many benefits that arise from the practice. This essay examines the advantages and disadvantages of working remotely for companies and employees.

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Flexible work programs are valued by employees since they benefit them in several ways, and such programs keep them motivated. Employees who work from home save many costs that are associated with going to work which includes fuel, wear and tear of cars, bus fare, parking fee as well as having to buy expensive clothing that matches their roles and subsequent dry cleaning costs. Employees who work from home are more flexible determining when they work, a very important aspect of them. In addition, they are also able to establish the framework that works best for them thus increasing their productivity and making them happiest. Furthermore, it gives them a better work-life balance where they can work and still enjoy the tangible benefits being offered by the employer while simultaneously devoting time for their families. Companies would have to invest in working space to cater for their workforce, but with a number working remotely, the need for large workspace and increased infrastructure costs are reduced. The productivity of employees is improved by allowing them to work remotely especially for those who commute long distances to work. In addition, employees get better work-life balance, flexibility, save money things which make them feel valued and increase their productivity. Finally with fewer employees in the office leads to a reduction in costs of stationery and utility bills which improves the profitability of the company.

Employees may not achieve their objectives while working from home due to interruptions they get from children, neighbors, and friends. Furthermore, they may not be able to separate home from work and may end up carrying household chores at the expense of work. They would be required to draw a line between the two to ensure they perform well on both. The workplace provides a place where people meet and mingle with others thus those working remotely may feel isolated and would have to get means of keeping in touch with other colleagues. Companies incur enormous costs on telecommunications for their staff working remotely due to the long teleconferencing calls or updates that are done through the phone. A change in the employer's organization structure would be required to accommodate telework (Doyle, 2000 Pg.44). Furthermore, there is a risk in sharing confidential company information away from the office which poses security problems thus a company may deny giving an option to work at home. Lastly, some jobs require individual presence, and such may not be possible to work from home, for example, a receptionist need to be at the front office desk.

In conclusion, given the merits and demerits discussed companies need to come up with a cohesive policy on working from home that is beneficial to both the employer and employee. However, a most productive solution would involve working partially from home and partially in the office as the employee may at times be required to attend meetings to keep them updated on company matters.

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY Doyle, S. (2000). Understanding Information & Communication Technology. Stanley Thornes.