Ever think to yourself it would be great to work from home? Well, you’re not the only one, up to 90% of US workers say they would prefer to telecommute and 36% would rather have this option than a raise. As a matter of fact, out of 1,500 technological professionals polled 37% said they would take a 10% pay cut if they had the option of working from home.
Generally, if the opportunity arises most professionals would jump at the chance to utilize work from home at least part-time and with things like videoconferencing it is becoming increasingly common. It would be shrewd before making this decision to weigh the pros and cons of such an endeavor because what may seem like a wonderful idea in theory, the reality is some workers find it’s just not for them.
Pros
- Productivity: Some studies showed a 13% increase in productivity of at home employees so it’s possible that you’re somehow able to use your time more constructively in an at-home setting.
- Environment: You are able to get your work done in a less distracting and stressful environment which could in itself benefit your health and happiness.
- Commute: That time spent waiting in traffic could be used for a bit of extra sleep leaving you more rested for a productive day and leaving you an hour or more extra time during the day to spend with family. I think it goes without saying that you could save a ton on gas each month by not having to make that long drive twice a day because on average the travel time for commuters in the US is 25.4 minutes.
- Enjoyable video conferencing: Sitting in a meeting room for over an hour isn’t an enjoyable experience for most but at home, you can be more relaxed and comfortable in your own setting. With the rise of technology things like audio conferencing are helping to keep at home workers more connected; there is also av videoconferencing which enables you to share your computer presentations. Almost nine out of ten employees agree that videoconferencing helps them feel more in touch with their associates.
Cons
- Less communication: Although videoconferencing is available there is less communication between colleagues in work at home positions which could cause you to miss out on important work-related information. Some workers also don’t do as well as they thought they would without face to face contact.
- Motivation: You really have to be a self-motivating individual to be a productive at home employee because without the knowledge of managers or other higher-ups being around it is possible to slack off a bit without the proper ?get to it? attitude.
- Pay cuts: Even though some are okay with taking a pay cut for this opportunity it is probable that you will receive a pay cut with the transition to teleworking and you should be aware of this possibility. Not only that but the opportunity for a raise could very well go out the window also.
So if you are thinking of presenting the idea to your boss you should really think about if you are motivated enough and are able to give up the social aspects of in-house working. Interaction and communication may just be the biggest cons of working from home but if you can get that interaction in other ways, or through videoconferencing, it’s gravy. All you have to do is ask yourself, can I be a self-motivating, at-home-work kind of professional?
