Page 13 - BOSS Today Issue 47

SPECIAL FEATURE BOSS Today #47

ven before the Coronavirus crisis – a 74% increase – with the largest other commitments or want to work at
Ebegan, the increase in remote and rates of increase occurring in Yorkshire different times of the day.
home working was more than evident & Humberside (+133%) the North West n The cost of public transport and fuel –
and, as a research study in May 2018 (+116%) and the North East (+105%). and the pressures of congested roads,
by Swiss-based serviced office provider Overall, and inevitably, the regions with trains and buses – increasingly make
IWG found, it’s a global phenomenon. the highest numbers of workers based the traditional commute unappealing
The survey found that 70% of full-time mainly at home in 2018 were, perhaps to workers, who may also value the
professionals worldwide now work inevitably, were the South East (287,000) savings generated by not having to buy
remotely at least one day a week, with and London (233,000). clothing specifically for work.
as many as 53% working remotely for at
least half of the week. The main factors driving this long-term However, the practice of home working
It’s no surprise that most (84%) remote trend are obvious: has revealed other benefits to employers:
workers work mainly at home – due remote workers are highly motivated and
of course partly to convenience, a lack n The cost of office space is such that more productive: a Buffer report entitled
of commute and an easily-accessible businesses have been looking for “The State Of Remote Work” found
infrastructure – although 37% of remote cheaper alternatives to accommodate that only 8% of remote workers had
workers claim that cafés are where they their staff. The majority of home problems with staying motivated, while a
spend the second biggest amount of time workers also pay for their own internet study by Stanford University found that
working, with another 4% stating that a costs, which generates another saving digital nomads are 13% more productive
café was now their main place of work. for employers. than in-office workers. There are also
Indeed, statistics from the ONS Labour n The technology and IT infrastructure benefits for the environment: a lack of a
Force Survey suggest that working which facilitate home working are now commute saves carbon emissions, while
primarily at home was already rising widely available at comparatively low not needing to provide heating for a large
rapidly in the UK: in Q4 2008 a total of cost. number of workers in an office can also
884,000 workers worked inside their n Workers are increasing looking for be an environmental benefit.
own home for their main job. By Q4 greater flexibility in their working
2018, this figure had risen to 1,542,000 arrangements, particularly if they have

Tips For Employers

Here are some important tips for managers who have staff that are working from home or are in isolation:

1. Keep employees in sight and in mind: remote or home 5. Encourage balance: encourage your workforce to
working can negatively impact resilience, as people can establish a clear work/life balance to ensure that they do
feel they are ‘out of sight and out of mind’. Employers not develop unhealthy working habits, such as working
should encourage strong social network connections, longer hours or checking emails at night and weekends.
but also take care that all interactions via email etc are Encourage them to develop daily routines, eat a healthy
managed with sensitivity and consideration. diet and do some kind of physical exercise.
2. Proactively manage communications challenges:
communication with remote employees can be difficult. BOSS have created the following guidance and policy
Be sure to keep in touch with your employees regularly documents for you to use (click here).
and check in on the person and not just their work!
3. Schedule communication: engaging with your workforce Guidance: Coronavirus Working from Home and Self-Isolation
regularly will create a connected and open environment Guidance: Coronavirus – Mental Health & Self-Isolation
which will encourage employees to speak openly, Guidance: Mental Health & Wellbeing – Coronavirus
so schedule ‘one on ones’ and team meetings using & Self-Isolation
programmes like Skype. Guidance: Mental Health & Wellbeing – What is
4. Signpost mental health support: make sure your Homeworking?
workforce is aware of your HR department’s services and Guidance: Coronavirus Managing Stress and Anxiety
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), if you have one. Policy Advice: Home Working – HR

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