‘Remote working’ and ‘working from home’ is becoming more and more common within UK workforces, indicating the way in which businesses of the future must adapt in order to cope with the increasing complexities of modern life. Quite simply, the ‘uniform’ arrangement of 9-5 is becoming further detached from the realities of personal commitments, and working schedules must adapt around this change. However, while this can certainly improve productivity and efficiency for flexible staff, there are still risks to their well-being that can often be forgotten about, says a remote workforce management expert, IQTimecard.
The Director ‘David Lynes’ of UniqueIQ said: “There are many positive benefits of allowing staff more flexibility in their working role including reducing overhead costs, increasing loyalty and greatly improving productivity. But that doesn’t mean that this is the ‘perfect’ workforce solution and that it doesn’t present its own challenges. Home working must be strategically implemented with the correct procedures in place in order to ensure the happiness and wellness of staff is maintained.”
Although efficiency can be increased when working from home, this can sometimes be at the expense of overworking. With no commute to make or supervision to deter them, the temptation to work for much longer hours than those that are allocated can be very appealing, especially when deadlines are tight. And this can soon become a habit for remote workers, with management remaining unaware of the actual hours completed while stress and pressure could be silently building.
David Lynes continued: “It is important for management to keep a close eye on the working routine of those that operate from home in order to become aware of those that may be at risk of burning out, but understandably this is difficult without any physical presence. IQTimecard acts as a portal between staff and head office, instantly giving businesses an accurate, truthful overview of the working patterns of an entire remote workforce.”
Maintaining wellness within the workplace is an issue that is becoming increasingly important for UK businesses. And the procedures put in place to ensure this must also include features that cater to a remote workforce in order to successfully plan for the realities of the working arrangements of the future.
