How to convince your boss that remote working is the way forward

Remote working could be the future. For the self-starting and innovative professional who wants time in and out of the office to execute great business ideas and schemes, working flexibly can be a real asset. Being at home gives you peace and quiet to really focus down on the issues which need addressing on your project or correspondence. Being out on the road allows you to work as you travel and meet multiple needs for you and your organisation. Being with your client whilst making strides in your partnerships could be crucial to winning that contract or being responsive to their business needs. It seems so simple! Try telling your boss all this, though. I can guarantee you will be met with a wry smile by all but the most faithful of employers.

Businesses instinctively feel that remote working might impact on productivity. They wonder what might happen if they let staff email over breakfast and have recurring nightmares of your telly blaring whilst the in-tray piles up. Some managers think of the risks involved with confidential data, of their precious statistics and quarterly projections being shown by their very own employees to rival companies under cover of remote engagement. Who could blame them? Remote working certainly requires some degree of trust and good management to be truly effective. Let’s get the cons out of the way before looking at the many pros of getting flexible.

Employees sometimes slack off and the potential for human nature to take over could arguably be increased when a business plan involves your very own sofa. Important information can be taken away from the office in some cases, which has greater potential to fall into the wrong hands. HR issues or staffing problems could go unnoticed and there is always the potential that workers might feel left out when not in the bustling office.

This can all be combated by decent supervision, regular and robust frameworks for monitoring and reporting productivity and using new ways to keep in touch with staff. Remote working involves the increased use of online technology and there are a million ways bosses can keep valuable contact with employees on a daily basis, without ever having to haul them in for a check-up. By making a few simple and cheap adjustments, your business can keep you linked in so they and you both feel safe with your new found freedom. They might even save cash!

More than a fifth of Britain’s working demographic is now engaging with their organisation and client caseload remotely. In response to this, the government has released guidelines which should give your line manager all the answers they need to know about the how tos, dos and don’ts. Companies everywhere are saving much-needed office space, seeing renewed enthusiasm in their employees and finding that a little breathing space goes a long way.

* Image courtesy of Qualitystockphotos.