Employees Working from Home

A growing consideration for many companies centers on their ability to add employees to their staff while allowing them to work from home. There is a growing segment of today’s workforce that is highly-skilled and prefers to work from home. There are many professionals who find the “quietness” of a home office as a very productive environment. Businesses are also finding that many job functions work well from home-based offices thus allowing the business to grow without having to incur additional square-footage costs. Because of the advancements in information systems/technology, software applications, and high speed internet connections, any job that can be executed using a telephone and/or computer can be performed from a home office very effectively.

There are some requirements to set up a home-office model but this functionality is growing in popularity. Implementing a “seamless telecommunications” network is the key to successful functionality. A Wide-Area Network (WAN), high-speed internet, DSL or cable modems are a necessity. Consulting with your IT personnel or trained expert is critical in developing a seamless environment that provides significant benefits for both the company and the employee.

The employer immediately benefits in augmenting staffing resources without increasing real estate cost. In comparison, high-speed internet, DSL or cable modem costs are far less than adding office space and furnishings. When networks and software applications are properly implemented, employees are able to function effectively and in most cases improve their productivity. Through the ease of software applications, employee work can also be monitored easily thus creating a scenario that improves your business’ competitive advantage and flexibility to grow beyond the four walls of your building.

Employees benefit also with the “home-office” scenario. Costs associated with working in an office environment are minimized, such as commuting, meals, clothing etc. Employees experience less stress when juggling family needs and work schedules when commuting to an office is not a requirement.

Communication through various telecommunication methods provides “real time” interaction. An employee can have a telephone extension at their home identical to an internal office extension. Picking up the phone and calling a co-worker’s extension is the same as calling the next cubicle. Server configurations allow the employee to access software applications without the need to have the applications loaded on the home-office computer.

Telecommunications offers a variety of options for the home-based employee and employers. If this business model is being contemplated by your company, work through details carefully with your IT and telecommunications experts. This may offer your company an excellent opportunity to improve service performance to your customers while improving the productivity and quality of life for your employees.