Is Working from Home an Opportunity to Slacking Off?

Working from home has become increasingly popular over the years, offering more flexibility and convenience. However, it also raises questions about work productivity. Many believe that working remotely provides an opportunity to reduce actual work effort. This article aims to explore the reality of working from home and whether it truly allows employees to 'not really work as much.'

Understanding the Typical Workday

Let's consider a typical scenario. Suppose you normally work 8 hours a day with a standard workload that you handle efficiently. Over the course of a week, your workday might look like this: Day 1: Everything takes longer than usual, and you don't quite finish all tasks. Day 2: You catch up from the previous day and manage to complete today's tasks as well. Day 3: Everything goes smoothly, and you even get a head start on tomorrow's work. Day 4: With the head start and some good luck, you finish your work with a couple of hours to spare, resulting in only 6 hours of work. Day 5: The workload is fine, but you're so tired that you finish 2 hours early without completing your tasks. On the one hand, completing work with time to spare seems like a beneficial outcome. However, as a manager, the concern arises if this behavior deviates from the expected work standards. On Day 4, you managed to complete the work without slacking off. But on Day 5, the lack of completion raises questions about productivity.

Ultimately, it's impossible to get away with reducing your actual work effort by lying about it. Achieving expected work results more efficiently is a more reasonable approach. Thus, the key is to focus on productivity rather than the duration of work.

Managing a Remote Workforce

Over nearly two decades, I have managed remote teams, which has taught me that the conventional measurement of work (primarily presence) is not always indicative of productivity. In a traditional office setting, employees often measure productivity by the number of hours they spend in the office. However, valuable time can be wasted on unproductive activities such as idle chitchat, internet surfing, and attending low-value meetings.

Working long hours does not necessarily equate to high productivity. If you can accomplish your tasks in 8 hours and another person spends 12 hours, the latter is only 50% as productive. This highlights how companies often misjudge effort by focusing on hours worked rather than the quality and efficiency of the work.

Effective Management of Remote Workers

With remote workers, managers may not know when you start and finish your work each day or what you do during the 'normal' workday. They do not need to know if you worked straight 8 hours or took breaks to help with household tasks. Instead, the focus should be on productivity; meeting work deadlines and maintaining high quality is what truly matters. If you prefer working odd hours or take breaks to spend time with your family, it's unimportant as long as you are available when necessary.

Conclusion

To answer whether remote work offers an opportunity to slacking off, it largely depends on the definition of 'not really working as much.' If you are completing all your tasks more efficiently than in the office, thus reducing your workday to 6 hours without reducing the quality, you are not taking advantage of anything. However, if you believe you can spend your afternoons napping without affecting your productivity, this approach may not be sustainable in the long run. Keep in mind that your manager will notice the difference if you are not meeting your work goals, especially if your colleagues are similarly diligent.

Key Takeaways

Remote work requires a different mindset; productivity, not hours, is the key to success. Working efficiently and meeting deadlines are more important than the number of hours worked. Remote managers should assess work based on productivity, not presence.