With the productivity and morale benefits of working from home, more companies are offering some kind of telecommuting options for their employees.
But while technology makes remote working just as effective as coming into the office, a lot of employers would prefer seeing staff at their desks more than not.
Replicating home benefits
Instead of altering telecommuting policies or taking them away completely, a better strategy is convincing employees to willingly come into work.
And how do you do that?
Inc.com contributor Geoffrey James has a few ideas that’ll entice workers by replicating in the office the benefits they enjoy at home.
1. Deal with the problematic employees. One of the major benefits of working from home is not having to deal with the bullies and whiny co-workers of the office. Employees would be much more likely to come into the office if they only had to interact with their pleasant colleagues. Identify the unpopular co-workers and have a talk with them about their behavior.
2. Keep meetings short. Telecommuting employees love avoiding long, boring meetings. At home, they can keep tabs on what’s going on while still working on something else. To entice people into the office, keep meetings as brief and infrequent as possible. Always have an agenda and avoid PowerPoint at all costs!
3. Give workers flex time. While working from home, employees can easily run an errand or go to a mid-day doctor’s appointment. Imitate this in the office by encouraging workers to run out for a bit if they have to. Flex time at work will give staff the same sense of freedom they enjoy at home.
4. Make the office comfortable and efficient. A lot of employees despise open office plans, since there’s nowhere to find some quiet or escape annoying co-workers. Give employees a designated private area for individual work, and the open office can be for collaboration.
It’s a good idea to get some good desk chairs for everyone, too. The couch at home might not have so much appeal if employees had a comfortable new chair to sit in at work. Another great, easy perk to offer that will entice people to come into work: Free, delicious coffee.
