Does working from home actually work?

Microsoft has become the leader in productivity over many decades. Can you imagine doing your day-to-day work without their software?

So, it’s no surprise the tech giant recently conducted a major new survey into productivity in the workplace – and some of the results might surprise you.

Does working from home decrease productivity?

Researchers surveyed 20,000 people working for businesses in 11 different countries. They discovered the majority of bosses don’t believe their employees are as productive when working from home. In fact, four out of five employers said they thought their people got less done when working remotely.

Working from home has become a more and more common work arrangement in recent years. More than 43% of workers are now telecommuting on a regular basis and this trend is not going to change. The question that is arising is how to ensure that employees perform their tasks well while they are working remotely.

What are the statistics of people working from home?

On the other hand, a massive 87% of staff felt they were MORE productive when working from home.

There are many stats about people who are working from home such as 87% of staff felt they were MORE productive and that 40% of employees want the option to work from home.

Working from home is a popular option, but not all companies offer this. There are many reasons why employers don’t want their employees to work remotely, such as:

– They fear that remote employees won’t be committed and will slack off.

– They worry the remote employees will have out-of-office time due to lack of oversight.

– They worry the culture will change and become less cohesive since people are not in the same physical location.

– There is also a fear that they will lose talent or intellectual property if they let their employees work remotely.

Employees want to work from home because it allows them more autonomy, flexibility, and fewer distractions. Some may feel like it could help save money on childcare or gas expenses by decreasing commuting costs if they were able to work from home for certain hours of the day or week.

How is there such a big disconnect?

Microsoft boss, Satya Nadella blames what he calls “productivity paranoia”. What that means is a gap between what employers expect from their people, and what employees feel.

Maybe some bosses want to go back to the way we worked before 2020… but their people prefer the flexibility of today’s hybrid working.

There’s a lot to gain from less commuting and a better work/life balance.

We believe bosses need to communicate better with their people.

Yes, that’s about setting clear expectations and giving feedback if they feel people aren’t performing properly.

But it’s also important to make sure your team has the right tools and technology to allow them to get things done, no matter where they’re working.

Are their devices suitable for the job they’re doing? Do they have the right applications to communicate effectively and collaborate on projects?

Take the time to discuss the tools and technology you’re using with the people who use it every day.

You should also demonstrate how much you trust and value your people. In the long term, you’ll be rewarded with a loyal and productive team.

Need a hand finding the right tools and tech for your specific kind of business? We can help – just get in touch.

Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.