When working from home, do you constantly feel under pressure to prove to your boss you are working?
My guess is that the answer will be a resounding ‘yes’ for most people.
So the next question I would like to ask is:
Why do employees feel under pressure to prove to their boss they are working when working from home?
Perhaps the answer can be found in the Economist’s recent article ‘Working from home; out of sight, out of mind’. This article states that people who work from home are less likely to be promoted, regardless of quality of work. Yes, you could be working your socks off at home whilst your colleague in the office gets the promotion you have been working so hard for and, to make matters worse, the standard of your colleagues work is poor in comparison to your own work.
Is the answer to stop working from home?
No, I don’t think this is the way forward. Of course it is important to point out that this will not apply to all employers but for those who are feeling a bit guilty about this, perhaps it is time to rethink your approach to working from home.
Remember there can be many benefits to working from home.
To name a few:
1. No stress caused by a difficult commute.
2. No meetings or distractions from colleagues.
3. Fewer interruptions.
4. Improved work-life balance.
These benefits alone will improve motivation which in turn will produce better quality of work, meaning happier employees and improved business productivity.
It’s a win-win situation!
Is it now time employers recognise that working from home can be as productive, if not more productive, than working in the office?
