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What Can You Do Working From Home In The UK?
Working from home offers up a new set of options for how companies may operate and organise themselves. With the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic, home working has provided some businesses with the flexibility they need to maintain company operations while prioritising employee and customer health and well-being as part of their public health responsibilities.
Work-Life Balance
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Working from home was on the rise prior to the coronavirus epidemic, as many companies recognised the advantages it may offer to their company and the better work-life balance for their workers. Even if you do not believe that working from home will benefit your company, workers with 26 weeks of service have a statutory right to seek flexible-working arrangements such as home working, and you, as an employer, must carefully examine such requests.
Employees who work from home have many advantages.
With a growing number of workers working from home – or utilising home as a working base for at least part of the week – it is obvious that there are a number of advantages for businesses, including:
Flexibility and agility – working from home allows for more agility and flexibility in working circumstances. Employees may be better situated and more ready to work flexible hours, such as earlier or later in the day, or even on weekends, now that they are no longer bound to an office. This may assist you in meeting certain business requirements, such as dealing with clients in a different time zone.
Improved employee retention – Because of the flexibility of home working, workers may fulfil childcare requirements, minimise their travel, and fit their work around their personal lives. Allowing employees to work from home increases their confidence in their company, which may contribute significantly to employee loyalty.
Attract new talent – Offering home working as an incentive to come and work for you may help you attract fresh talent to your company. Even just providing the option to work from home can provide you an edge in the job market over rivals that do not provide this choice to their employees.
Increased productivity – as a result of fewer interruptions that would usually occur in an office setting. Working from home, on the other hand, provides a more peaceful atmosphere that may enable more concentrated work. Employees may also work longer hours since they may utilise the time saved from commuting to start work sooner, later, or both.
Increased employee motivation – working from home allows workers to feel more trusted by their employer since the working relationship is not as carefully watched and employees are given more liberty to get on with their job. Staff will also be happier if they can create a home working schedule that fits them, which may lead to them feeling more motivated to give their all.
Improved employee health and well-being – working from home removes the need for your workers to travel to work, which may be stressful. Saving time like this also allows employees to obtain greater health advantages like getting more sleep, spending more time with family, exercising, or cooking better foods.
Financial advantages include cost savings on office space, office supplies, energy costs, and other amenities. Staff may also be eligible for HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) tax relief for working from home – see seek tax relief for your job costs – working from home.
Convenience – You may have employees who make frequent trips to client sites and are therefore not frequently in the office. Allowing them to work from home may be more convenient and result in further time and expense savings.
Better work/life balance – Working from home may help workers improve their work-life balance; for example, employees who would have had to commute will now be able to utilise that time for themselves, laying the groundwork for a better work-life balance. Employees may also fit in home tasks around their working day, allowing them more free time in the evenings, such as loading or emptying the dishwasher or cooking supper during their lunch break.
Workplace
It is made simpler by technology, since the internet allows employees to stay linked to the workplace at all times. Communication between coworkers and teams has become more simpler thanks to tools like Skype, which may sometimes lead to more efficient and productive meetings.
Staff are more likely to feel happier and more energetic working from home, thus their immune system is less likely to be adversely affected by burnout. Furthermore, since workers operate in isolation, there is less risk of diseases spreading than in an office setting.
Working from home employees
There is less need for regular vacations since working from home may seem like a break from the workplace even though employees are continuously working. Working from home employees will feel more energised and will be able to spend more time with their families, so they will not need to take as much time off. However, it is your responsibility as an employer to ensure that your employees take their vacations – find out how much vacation time to give your employees.
Working from home
Working from home is not for everyone – working from home may not be suitable for everyone’s personality or abilities. Some workers may enjoy the regularity and structure that comes with working in an office setting. Some employees may prefer personal interaction with coworkers and may find face-to-face guidance with their manager extremely beneficial in completing tasks and achieving their goals. You must also keep employees with disabilities in mind. Working from home may have an adverse effect on the support they require to do their job. Working from home may also not be compatible with everyone’s home life; for example, some people may have young children who are unaware of boundaries and cause interruptions during the working day. Others may not have the necessary physical space to set up a suitable dedicated working area.
