Giving employees the freedom to work more flexibly could result in major productivity gains for businesses and organisations, it has been claimed.
Writing for Forbes, Elaine Pofeldt suggested that many office workers are eager to take advantage of web-enabled technology and work from home or another remote location.
Many professional people are eager to avoid the daily commute if there is a viable alternative, she suggested.
“It’s no secret that employees aren’t as jazzed about traditional, corporate-style jobs as they once were,” she commented.
In her view, giving employees the freedom to work where they want is a sure-fire way to improve business engagement.
“I suspect that if employers gave their workers more freedom to work like freelancers, they’d see huge increases in productivity,” Ms Pofeldt said.
“Have any of us ever looked back at our careers and wished we spent more time in a cubicle?”
Last month, Geoff Perlman, chief executive of REAL Software, said it is becoming “increasingly common” for businesses to employ people who do not come into the office.
“Remote employees are increasingly common in the IT field. It’s an adjustment that’s happening,” he stated.
Mr Perlman explained that the vast majority of employees at his own company now work from home.
But he said that if employees are allowed to work from home, it is vital that company bosses and managers find ways to keep them effectively engaged.
“Setting the tone for your remote, collaborative team is vital,” Mr Perlman stated.
Mr Perlman said companies need to have metrics that show whether or not the employees are getting the job done.
