As several organizations globally are experiencing, more flexible working arrangements have also become a normal occurrence throughout the Philippines. This has led to a larger than ever work-from-home movement, and that has come with its benefits and drawbacks for employers and employees alike.

While initially, businesses may frown upon a work-from-home situation for their employees, many have concluded that it can be advantageous for staff retention and business continuity. This is not an option for all businesses or even all positions within an organization, but there is an increasing number of employers that have successfully implemented a work-from-home arrangement for their employees.

There are many things to consider when deciding whether work-from-home is a suitable option for your business and staff. Without these considerations, it may lead to poor team performance. Hence, proper planning will help to create a favorable result for organizations with this arrangement.

• What should a business consider when proposing a work-from-home arrangement?
• Is your business systems capable of working over an internet connection while the staff is working from home?
• Are the existing office computer appropriate for work-from-home or are you planning to offer your staff the option to use their personal computers?
• Do your staff require any special equipment or gadget to do the job from home effectively and efficiently?
• Do you have systems in place to adequately monitor and supervise your staff’s performance when working from home?

These and other considerations must be made for a business. But, what about other factors that employees must consider for an effective work-from-home?

To have an effective output, it requires them to be comfortable with their workplace. The same applies to working from home, the environment should be purposely set up for working from home and allowing staff to perform their duties effectively.

Here are some effective work arrangement recommendations for employees working from home:

• A good quality internet connection and a backup connection over wireless.
• A cool air-conditioned room or at the very least a nice airflow with an electric fan to allow employees to feel comfortable and cool. Keeping in mind that electric fans do create background noise and should be considered for employees that are on video calls and phone calls regularly.
• A fast and reliable computer is a must, if your computer is not running well then it will cause delays and reduce performance.
• Consider the workspace at home, whether you can accommodate a desktop PC or a laptop. Whichever is appropriate for the available space.
• Often overlooked is the ambient noise, perhaps you have livestock or home pets making noise regularly. Would this affect the quality of the video calls or phone calls? Generally, it will cause concern for the person on the other side of the call. There are some easy ways to prevent this, the most common practice is using a good set of headphones with an active noise cancelling feature. Noise-cancelling headphones will reduce the background noise and allow for a quieter conversation during calls, offering a more professional appearance.
• Reduce distractions while you are working from home such as watching a TV show. This may divert you from completing your tasks. A great alternative is to have a mini sound system playing music softly in the background to create ambient noise and provide additional motivation when working.
• Remember to rehydrate and eat. Drink enough water and eat regularly when working from home. It is important to have some fresh fruits and water stored in your refrigerator to allow you to have the energy you need to perform at your best when working from home.

There are many considerations for work-from-home arrangements, but one thing is for sure, as the Philippines continues to trend and accept this as a more common form of a workplace, employers and employees will have to start making the conscious effort to do their part to make it work for both parties.

Good thing EMCOR has a large range of Air Conditioners, Electric Fans, Refrigerators, Desktop Computers, Notebook Computers, Headphones, and Gadgets to make working from home a more comfortable experience and allow employees to remain productive.