Remember when working from home sounded like a dream? No commute. No office distractions. Work clothes optional (from the waist down, at least). That was then, this is now.
Over the past few years, remote work has gone from a rare perk to a normal part of business life. Unfortunately, some people seem to have mistaken “work from home” for “do whatever needs doing at home.”
Need to clean the kitchen? Schedule a repair technician? Entertain a toddler? Train the puppy? Many employees have tried to turn remote work into the Swiss Army knife of life management.
While impressive, that’s not actually the assignment.
Working remotely does not transform paid working time into childcare time, housekeeping time, or errand-running time. The purpose remains the same as it was in the office: performing the duties of the job.
Employers can unintentionally contribute to the problem. If nobody clearly defines performance expectations, people naturally fill in the blanks. Successful remote environments require measurable productivity standards and clearly communicated availability requirements.
Can an employee perform their work effectively from 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.? Fantastic. But if the role requires responding to customers between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., the employer is not obligated to approve a vampire schedule.
At its core, remote work is built on trust. Employers must trust employees to work in a manner that supports organizational needs. Employees must trust that they will be evaluated based on clear expectations and held accountable for delivering results.
When everyone understands the “work” part of remote work, the arrangement can be incredibly successful.
And yes, you can still wear pajama pants.
Need assistance having the conversation about effective remote work? SDEA can help you frame the conversation to keep your staff answerable for results without coming across as a tyrant. We are HeRe for you. 858-505-0024