My neighbor is always talking about her “carbon footprint”…and how important it is to her that she leaves a small one on our environment. She has changed many things in her life to make her home and family more “green”. One of the first things she did was to convince her boss that she should work from home at least a few days a week. She believes the research that she did on working virtually is the reason her boss agreed. You all might think that our environment was the selling point; however, it was the many other benefits that enticed her company to look into this as an option, not just for her, but for many of her co-workers.
Working from home or having the flexibility to work wherever you would like has proven to be a huge motivator for employees. Employers have found that working virtually gives most employees the feeling of flexibility, freedom, thus enables them to be more creative and efficient.
In previous ZPS newsletters, we have discussed that engaged and productive employees mean a better bottom line. According to an article, Escape the Cubicle Farm: Top 10 Reasons to Work From Home by Jonathan Mead, Zen Habits, other reasons include;
- Control of the design of your workspace.
- Less distractions.
- Flexible time.
- More focus on the results, not being present in the office.
- More time with family.
- Being able to work in your pajamas.
- Yoga at your desk.
- Less commute / less pollution.
- Work fewer hours.
There are several other reasons that employers are choosing to let their employee’s office virtually. For example, the cost of office space and the utilities it takes to make them run. Companies are finding that by reducing overhead, they can spend that money elsewhere.
Why not save money and web conference? With the technology available today, you can do almost anything via the web that you can do in person with the exception of a hand shake. Studies have shown that working from home a couple of times a week does not harm coworker relationships and it enhances the work / home life balance. Employers are also finding that people who telecommute are more focused.
With today’s technology and the ability to web conference, why not take advantage of the virtual office. At Zenith Performance Solutions, not only do we all work virtually, many of our clients are out of our area, making a face to face meeting nearly impossible. We have developed many programs to help train and implement the transition to a virtual office, along with many online resources available to help you transition your team. We also have Coaching Packages available to help employers implement office strategies to manage teams virtually, create dynamic working relationships across miles, and make sure work isn’t duplicated and nothing—slips through the cracks.
We would love the opportunity to chat with you today and brainstorm new ideas for you and the needs of your company. Give us a call! We can’t wait to speak with you.