Homeworking can sound like a dream working arrangement: it gives employees the enviable ability to forego the necessity of a suit (in favour of pyjamas), work from the comfort of their home and – luxury of luxuries! – ditch the arduous rush-hour commute. However, new research by the London School of Economics has found that too much homeworking can lead to decreased productivity and dissatisfaction among the workforce. The study found that prolonged homeworking can be damaging for staff morale, and therefore for the company as a whole.
The research was conducted among 500 staff and managers and is among the first studies into the impact of homeworking over a long period. There has been a sharp increase in the number of homeworkers in recent years: one in seven of the workforce or 4.2 million of us are now working from home regularly, compared with 2.9 million in 1998*.
The LSE funded study has revealed that staff that work from home every day often feel ‘socially and professionally isolated’, ‘out of touch’ with their colleagues, and can even lose confidence in their skills. Additionally, without the opportunity to discuss matters in person, e-mails can be misinterpreted, leading to misunderstandings and – ultimately – extra work.
Flexible serviced office space can be a great solution to the problems associated with homeworking, providing a space for teams to work together without the overheads connected with traditional office leases. Large corporates often turn to serviced spaces to accommodate satellite teams, enabling them to keep control of their property portfolios and provide easily accessible workplaces for staff.
Arena Business Centres expanding portfolio of locations including Ferndown, Poole, Fareham, Southampton, Farnborough and Basingstoke deliver choice for clients. In an ever changing market place, ultimately, choice and flexibility remain unwaveringly at the top of the list for every entrepreneur, SME and large corporate.
* Sources The Telegraph & FT.com