Working from home is becoming an increasingly common and sought-after option for employees. From new parents to millennials who are keen to avoid the time-consuming commute, the option of remote working is high on many people’s lists these days when it comes to finding a new job.
More than 13% of the UK’s workforce currently works from home, this number has been steadily growing over the last decade. It’s now easier than ever before to stay connected through cloud computing and collaborative apps, so this trend is likely to continue.
While this luxury is a handy bonus for many employees and employers alike, it comes with its own challenges for both parties.
Employers will likely be thinking of the liabilities their business could face by allowing employees to work from home. It’s impossible to keep tabs on them all the time, and without the right tools, there’s not always a good way to know exactly how much work they’re doing.
On the other hand, staff members who could spend the work day in their pyjamas are faced with an entirely different set of distractions and rules. The dishwasher needs emptying, the dog needs walking, the doorbell rings, a friend pops round.
Being in your own home adds a whole new to-do list to the pile. While it is a popular option for many workers, others absolutely refuse to spend their business hours in the house, because they know that their mind will wander.
Time tracking software can help to bridge the gap between remote workers and their bosses, while inspiring distracted employees to crack on with the tasks at hand.
At TallyPro, we understand the diverse needs of businesses and their workforce. By tracking tasks effectively, employers and employees can reap the benefits that working from home can bring.
Working from home is all about trust
Many workers that are granted the ability to work from home full-time or a few days a week are more often than not the seasoned veterans that have consistently shown their work ethic and drive over the years with a company. A boss needs to be able to trust that someone is getting the job done whilst out of sight and so it makes sense that these valued employees are given this option. However, despite their value, an element of doubt sometimes remains.
It’s possible to remove this doubt. When remote working is incorporated with efficient and accurate time-logging software, that air of doubt is completely removed. The technology allows managers to see the exact time spent on a project with physical data as proof that work is in progress.
By enabling staff members to work within their own environment, bosses demonstrate their level of trust making employees feel more valued. And it has a knock-on effect. Employees will want to prove that they deserve the trust and their heightened productivity will have a positive impact on the business in the long run.
Time tracking quashes distractions
The mind has the potential to wander wherever you are working – in the office, at home or in a café. But at home, there’s no one around to keep you sitting down and getting your mind refocused. It’s easy to think, “I’ll just quickly stick a load of washing in”, and the next thing you know you’re cleaning the kitchen.
Enter TallyPro’s time tracking software.
The technology is a constant reminder that you are working. Knowing that the data created from time tracking is the proof that the boss will be looking at to gauge progress often pushes workers to crack on with the task at hand – and they’ll be expecting results!
Putting a timer on a project will remind you that all those to-do things round the house can be saved for later when you clock-off.
Productivity will soar
A ticking clock is a powerful method for staying focused. Knowing that with each second that passes, more is expected from you. In the office, it’s your workmates typing away or the potential of the boss randomly popping up behind you that keeps productivity ticking over.
But when you’re at home, you’re on your own. Using time-tracking software can give you that extra kick that you might need to refocus and stop procrastinating.
However, don’t be fooled that all remote workers are slackers.
There’s a common misconception that remote workers don’t work as hard their office-bound colleagues, but the picture is actually quite different.
According to a Canada Life survey, homeworkers rank their productivity as 7.7/10, compared with 6.5/10 for office workers.
Adding TallyPro to the working day will see productivity soar and both parties will be thankful for the option of working from home with trust.