Work from Home – Meaning, Features, Advantages and Limitations of Work From Home

Telecommuting, also known as work from home, is a concept in which an employee can work from home. Work from home provides the employee with flexible working hours, freedom from commuting, and a convenient working environment in which the employer's job is easily completed. It encourages religious and gender diversity. Work from home helps employees achieves work-life balance while also assisting the company in completing tasks. Telecommuting also known as working from home or e-commuting is a work arrangement in which the employee works outside the office, usually from home or a nearby location.

Characteristics of Work from Home:

The successful work from home employee characteristics are as follows:

1. Self-Motivation: Many successful at-home workers have an entrepreneurial spirit - they thrive with little direction and accept responsibility for the results of their actions. Working alone has advantages, but one of them is a lack of external motivation. This applies to both business owners and employees and contract workers as well as freelancers and home office workers.

2. Communication Skills: Communication skills are especially important for at-home workers. Given the lack of nonverbal cues, conveying your intended message can be more difficult than we think. For example, expressing frustration in person is easy, but expressing it by email (without side-tracking the conversation or being misunderstood) can be difficult.

3. Creative and Innovative: When we work from home, we are responsible for everything. Are you capable of determining the source of a problem on your own? Do you think critically and feel comfortable handling minor crises? These are important characteristics to have when working in a professional setting.

• Technological know-how: At-home employee should have a basic understanding of the tools and software used to communicate within the company.

4. Self-assessment and criticism: The major problem an individual faced in this aspect is feedback form outside world. So in order to prove the own worth individual has to answer these questions such as Are you able to independently assess your work and personal strengths and weaknesses? Do you believe your work is excellent unless you are told otherwise? Are you constantly looking for ways to be more productive, efficient, and overall better at your job?

5. Confident: At-home workers must be confident in their abilities and knowledge. They must also be comfortable giving opinions and feedback without always knowing what those around them will say. In a home office setting, you may find yourself expressing an unusual—and sometimes unpopular—opinion.

6. Discipline and commitment: Remote work necessitates is self-discipline as well as dedication to the company. Working from home takes a longer day than working in an office, has more distractions, and requires a lot more focus. An organisation can succeed with a work-from-home environment if they can find this in their employees.

Advantages of Work from Home:

Working from home has a number of advantages. These are listed below:

1. Larger Talent Pool: There is a larger pool from which an organisation can choose because a diverse talent pool includes job applicants for a specific job with certain people with location constraints or disabled people who can apply for the job and appreciate the opportunity.

2. Promotes Work-Life Balance: When employees work from home, they are free of the stress of house chores and responsibilities, allowing them to devote more time to work. Employees looking for a quieter or friendly environment can find it at home, which helps them concentrate on their work and complete it quickly.

3. Cost Savings: There are significant cost savings in terms of office infrastructure such as office space, electricity bills, and special infrastructure relating to workforce with diverse needs, as well as employee development amenities and facilities.

4. Motivation: Employees feel motivated when they achieve a healthy work-life balance and increase their productivity. Employee retention aids in lowering the costs of frequent recruitment.

5. Time and Energy Saving: working from home eliminates the need to commute to workplaces, saving time, energy, and resources that can be used to increase productivity at work. Finally, telework can reduce traffic congestion and air pollution by reducing the number of cars on the road.

6. Incentive of Autonomy: Work from home is an incentive to work in such a way that the job provides freedom, independence, and scheduling flexibility. It may also increase task responsibility and the authenticity of work done. As a result, such employees become more accountable and responsible for their work, increasing productivity. It also provides scheduling flexibility and freedom because being outside the office gives the worker more options. These people are not bound by office routines and can schedule their work at different times of day. Working from home allows employees to multitask, work in familiar environments, and has the freedom to choose where they work, when they work, and even what they wear to work in order to perform at their best.

Disadvantages of Work from Home:

Working from home has a number of disadvantages. These are listed below: -

1. Lack of Managerial Monitoring: Monitoring the work is always a major issue.

2. Burden on Employee: The cost of technological infrastructure required for implementing the concept. While costs and maintenance of the organisation are saved, they fall on the employee in work from home.

3. Lack of Security and Privacy: There is always a security issue with data transfer that cannot be easily monitored.

4. Limited Opportunities: Not all jobs are suitable for the work from home concept. Sometimes a lack of communication among employees makes a job difficult.

5. Lack of Learning: Telework may have an impact on problem solving, decision making, and rationale mentality because employees may lack skill variety and the ability to complete tasks meaningfully for the individual compared to when he or she worked in an office; however, skill variety and meaningfulness of individual tasks can increase when working in a group.

6. Feedback: For a job task to be completed successfully, directions, orders, prescriptions, and rules must be clearly communicated. Feedback is a two-way communication between an employee and a supervisor. Teleworkers may have difficulty interpreting and gaining information, as well as receiving feedback, because electronic communication provides fewer cues.

Difference between Freelancing and Work from Home

1. Employment Status:

Freelancing: Freelancers are self-employed individuals who work independently, often on a contract or project basis for various clients. They are not bound by long-term employment contracts with any single organization.

Work from Home: Work from home typically involves employees working remotely for a single employer, performing their regular job duties from home rather than in the office.

2. Client/Employer Relationship:

Freelancing: Freelancers have the liberty to choose their clients and can work with multiple clients simultaneously. They negotiate their own contracts and terms of service.

Work from Home: Employees working from home have a single employer who assigns tasks and monitors performance. The employer-employee relationship remains intact, just the work location changes.

3. Work Flexibility:

Freelancing: Freelancers have greater flexibility in managing their workload, choosing projects, and setting their own work schedules. They can work as much or as little as they want.

Work from Home: While work from home offers flexibility in terms of location and sometimes work hours, employees are still expected to adhere to their employer's schedule and deadlines.

4. Income Stability:

Freelancing: Freelancers may face income instability due to the irregular nature of projects and potential delays in payment from clients. They must constantly seek new contracts to maintain a steady income.

Work from Home: Employees typically have a more stable income, receiving regular paychecks from their employer, regardless of their work location.

5. Benefits and Incentives:

Freelancing: Freelancers are generally not entitled to employee benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, or paid leave. They must secure these on their own.

Work from Home: Employees working from home usually retain their benefits and incentives, such as health insurance, bonuses, and paid leave, as part of their employment package.

6. Social Interaction:

Freelancing: Freelancers often work alone, which can lead to feelings of isolation due to the lack of a traditional team or office environment.

Work from Home: Although remote, employees may still engage with colleagues and supervisors through virtual meetings, emails, and other communication tools, maintaining a connection with their team.