The office is dead - long live the new remote office!
What is an office?
Most people think of working from a desk, in a room surrounded by your colleagues, with the constant background sound of phones ringing – but this is fast becoming a thing of the past.
The New Approach
The “Office” is fast being replaced by alternative working spaces. Advances in technology, mean that an impromptu office can now be set up anywhere, sometimes within seconds. Free WIFI offered in places such as spas and coffee shops, see a new generation of technical savvy business owners, balancing a more relaxed work and lifestyle.
The BBC recently reported that stress for employees within large companies, is now at an all time high. Together with the average commuting time having increased, so it is no wonder that employees are seeking more holistic approaches to their work life.
For some, this new way of working is perfect, including examples like the following:
• for a busy parent balancing a full time career;
• the ability to work once the kids are in bed
• or at school without the commute makes a career accessible
All of these helping to eliminate the age-old decision of a career or family.
Whilst the ability to work from anywhere in the world has a large number of advantages there is also negatives. How do you avoid household distractions getting in the way of an important job? Or more extreme but still likely, how do you stop the sand getting in your keyboard if you set your desk up on a beach?
Here at Blue Skies we have three key elements for our staff, when they request to work remotely from home.
1. Trust
A huge amount of trust is placed on our staff, and we strongly believe everyone will do what’s right for the company. Therefore we trust them to be working when they state they are, with occasional reviews.
2. Guidelines
We do have certain stipulations in order to make sure the work and home life balance does not become blurred. These include making sure staff are not distracted. That staff at home can book on and off for breaks, as and when they need them. We have clear policies that outline what is expected and what can be expected from us, plus as an employer we take health and safety very seriously, so it is essential the request to work from home, or a different location, does not have any detrimental effects on any of our staff.
3. Technology and security
Blue Skies invest heavily in technology, with security being a number one priority for us. We have the ability to export and import information through our dedicated encrypted portal, and are actively encouraging clients to send in their information digitally. Wherever staff chooses to work, they still have to pass a number of security checks to be able to log on to our secure system and are also still contactable using our In-house phone system.
However, as of yet we haven’t had any requests for a home office anywhere more unusual than at homes – but who knows where our next request for a home office could be………………………………