New research has found that a growing number of Aussie workers are willing to take a pay cut in order to be able to work from home. It’s causing a bit of a debate on Twitter so I thought I’d chuck my opinion into the ring because it’s something that gets me a bit hot under the collar.
My biggest issue is the suggestion that working from home equates to doing less (especially if you’re going to take a pay cut for the privilege). And that’s a perception a lot of shortsighted employers, who treat their employees like slacker teenagers who can’t be trusted, have.
In my own experience, working from home can be extremely productive. I usually get more done on a day of uninterrupted silence at home—or on my balcony—than I do in the office with the constant phone calls and people wanting something from me. Of course it wouldn’t work as a full-time arrangement in my job—and for most jobs—but I think bosses should accept that sometimes, with good reason, allowing your staff to work from home makes sense, and can even lead to an increase in productivity.
Add to this the fact that demonstrating trust in your employees to get on with their work without having you constantly looking over their shoulder will probably make them work harder and increase morale.
Flexible working has long been a big perk of working in the public sector but why is the private sector so scared of it? We’re all adults. Why not have some trust in your employees? When they want to slack off, they’ll chuck a sickie…
