According to a new study, the top 10 industries most likely to use virtual offices are financial, legal, consulting, technology, real estate/brokers, healthcare, marketing and advertising, entertainment, retail, and construction. That being said, just because your industry isn’t one listed above doesn’t mean there’s no chance for you as an employer to give remote opportunities to your hard workers. ‘Work at home Fridays’ are a telecommuting concept being embraced by employers all over the world who recognize the increased productivity and potential that remote work brings. Here’s what you need to know about implementing a policy like ‘work at home Fridays’ at your office.
Set clear and measurable goals and objectives regarding productivity.
First, it’s important to realize that you can’t just jump into a new telecommuting policy without setting very clear goals and objectives for workers. You won’t be able to monitor productivity based on attendance, so find other concrete and measurable ways to determine productivity and success on a daily and weekly basis.
“If you’ve given an individual clear direction on required outcomes and defined stretch goals, you never have to make a personal judgment about whether someone is working hard or slacking off. Clearly defined and measured results tell the whole story. But if you are vague on expectations, productivity will decline. You get what you measure,” writes Patty Azzarello on Fast Company.
Choose the right work at home day(s).
Sure, work at home Fridays are the subject of discussion, but Friday may not be the best day to implement such a policy. Think about the ongoing productivity habits of your workers, and consider asking for their input about which days they feel they would work most productively at home or at Delaware coworking spaces. Nearly six out of ten employers identify cost savings as a significant benefit to telecommuting, but if you choose the wrong day(s), the policy could quickly erode away at productivity, losing the company money.
According to the American Management Association, organizations that implemented a telework program realized a 63% reduction in unscheduled absences. Knowing how to craft a work at home policy properly can help you harness worker productivity and use it to boost your business in the most effective ways possible. For more information about Delaware coworking spaces, contact Stat International.
