Work from home jobs – are they for you?

A large quantity of SMEs locally and businesses within the corporate sector are now adjusting to more fluid ways of working by allowing their staff to conduct their day jobs from home. The rise of home working jobs has been driven by the advancement of technology, a shift in job requirements, and market conditions. Home working, either full-time or part-time, has now become commonplace.

Cloud-based computing infrastructures have opened up the ‘access from anywhere’ mentality and changed many people’s views. While with the rise of the Millennials, we see a workforce expecting office jobs to be flexible enough to interchange between work and home should they require it.

Working from home saves time travelling the hour or so that it might take to get between home and the workplace, and more and more people now either require a full-time home job or a flexible office role that allows them to do home working, as and when.  

At Michael Page, we are specialists in a range of different roles, full and part-time, and being able to operate from 28 office locations in the UK gives us complete coverage, and gives you more options in your job search.

Talk to us if you’re considering your next career move. You’ll want to look at the range of benefits available too. Benefits add to your overall package, but if you are unsure about your potential benefit choices, you can get more information about which ones might work for you by visiting our benefits tool.

If the idea of home working appeals, then you’ll need to consider whether you can make your office job work remotely. If you can, then you must to be self-disciplined and be able to work for long periods without supervision. You need to be motivated and resilient for any issues that arise e.g. any communication/connection problems.

How to make it a success

• Conduct a risk assessment of your working space for Health & Safety compliance.
• Settle on a comfortable working area, preferably one with natural light.
• Have access to a laptop/PC.
• Make sure your laptop/PC screen is adjusted to the right height.
• Be certain to have the right software installed to enable you to access your system remotely.
• Check that you have access to your emails. 
• Integrate regular breaks in your working routine.
• Have a reliable high-speed internet connection.
• Have access to a phone.
• Have access to key numbers e.g. IT support in case you encounter technical problems.
• Make sure you have access to a printer (depending on your job type).
• Consider a good ergonomic chair.

Remember not to let your productivity levels drop; you’ll need a disciplined approach to maintain your focus.

Avoid possible distractions

• Don’t position your workspace in front of the television.
• If you have music in the background, make sure it’s at a sensible volume.
• If you’re using Skype, present a good posture and clear/professional background.

Home working benefits

• Higher staff retention.
• Reduction in the cost of office supplies.
• Reduced office space, resulting in reduced overheads, business rates and utility bills.
• Eradicating location as a barrier, therefore being able to choose from a wider talent pool.
• The elimination of lengthy journeys to work. Saving time and travel costs.
• Better work/life balance and an increase in well-being.
• A more diverse workforce, which includes those with disabilities and caring responsibilities.
• More flexibility.

The advancement of technology, emergence of the millennial worker and general changing working habits, has seen the need for more flexibility within the working environment increase. The need for home working is on the rise, so making sure your office-based jobs can transfer to a home environment is the first step to achieving higher staff retention, a reduction of overheads and a saving on costs.