Have your say! - A new way of working

From: MARTA POLO

Date: Sun, Nov 27, 2016

Hi!

I would like to share this text with you: “A NEW WAY OF WORKING”.

The text is about the possibility to work from home and the advantages and disadvantages of it for workers and bosses.

In my opinion that possibility is not very acceptable in Spain for the companies yet. The only think that doesn´t worry to your boss would be that the work be ready at its dead line, but they think that if you are at home working you are wasting your time. But they don´t see the advantages. They would need smaller offices; they would save money in electricity, heating, water, etc.

I agree with people working from their houses. In my previous work, I had that chance. I could do the same in the office and at home, and I saved the commuting time, and at the end of the day my task were finished.

I know that it is impossible for all works, but in many of them it would be good allow the workers to do that some days in the week.

What do you think about this matter?

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A New Way of Working

Stefanie Haigh looks at the pros and cons of working from home.

Over the past ten years or so, there has been a significant increase in the number of people working from home. The most obvious reason for this is the advance in technology and an increase in online business. This increase in communication means that many people can now improve their work and home lives with more flexibility and less commuting time.

What options are there for working from home?

These days there are so many more options available to people for working from home. Many people run websites such as restaurant guides or local information sites. Others tend to work freelance: you will find professional writers or bloggers, photographers, PR professionals, journalists, event coordinators, web designers and graphic designers. There’s no need to be in the office nowadays. A more traditional way of working from home is to run your own business. Hotel and restaurant owners often live onsite and if you run a bed and breakfast company, your home is often your business itself. Whilst this might seem simple, it does raise the question of whether it is difficult to take time off when you live and work in the same place.

Argentinean jewellery designer Alejandra Salvini works mainly from home in the UK. She enjoys it, but finds it hard to switch off at times. “It's good but it can be tricky to focus sometimes and you end up working 24/7”. Alejandra’s opinion is one shared by many people trying to balance work and home life. There are both pros and cons to this kind of lifestyle.

What are the ‘pros’ of working from home?

If you were to survey people who work at home, in all likelihood, they would have a big list of positive things to say.  They enjoy the flexibility and comfort of working at home. They can make a cup of coffee and a sandwich in their own kitchen, which is a luxury in the busy world that we live in now. Being able to choose their own working hours was also a plus for many, especially for self-employed people who don’t stick to set office hours. When your office is at home, you have no commute to make, which not only saves money but it also gets rid of that stressful run for the bus or that annoying feeling when there’s nowhere to park or nowhere to sit on the train.

Working at home is also brilliant for getting some peace and quiet, away from the distractions of the office. Freelance photographer Paul David Drabble claims that he loves the autonomy of working alone. Not being restricted in your creativity by other people really helps people in jobs such as his.

For working parents, many can cash in on the fact that they do not require childcare when they work at home. Although some mums did say that they did find it distracting to have kids running around and getting under their feet when they were trying to work, they also stated that they would not want to change their situation because they really enjoy their work and lifestyle balance.

What are the ‘cons’ of working from home?

One of the biggest negatives that workers talk about when they work at home is that they find it very difficult to separate their work and home life. They find it difficult to draw the line. They find it hard to focus on one thing at once due to a lack of motivation when they don’t have a boss standing over them telling them what to do. It can be very lonely and they miss the chit-chat that goes on in an office environment. Colleagues can shake you out of a bad mood, cheer you up and keep you motivated while working by yourself means that you don't have that emotional support.

Some people actually find it difficult to switch off at home because they don’t physically leave the office which means that they never stop working and they can’t stop checking their emails and just finishing something off before they go to bed. This can cause many issues with partners.  Dee Montague is a copywriter who says that she often stays up late working and then feels guilty the next morning, which she knows is silly. “I think it's important to try and do what works for you. Sometimes I feel more creative at 3am than I do at 3pm! Some people don't understand my refusal to switch off completely from work and switch on to relax"

Do companies want to hire people who don’t come to the office?

As far as companies are concerned, employers often enjoy working with freelance, remote workers for many reasons. For starters, they have fewer overheads. It is often cheaper to pay somebody by the hour to work at home than it is to hire someone full-time for a specific project. Managers also have no restrictions on who to hire, meaning that they can pick and choose from the best workers in the world. There are many online freelancing sites where people can get in touch with skilled workers, no matter where they live. It does mean that you have to be able to trust people that you have never met before and also organising meetings can be difficult, as you don’t have that face-to-face interaction which can often breed creativity. However, this makes it very easy to run international businesses from a home office. Many businesses love that freedom.