For those people who are lucky enough to be able to work from home, you will agree that there are a number of benefits to be enjoyed by both the employee and the employer.
Employee Point of View
From the employee point of view there is the ability to enjoy a far greater work/life balance as your work can fit in with your domestic arrangements far easier. Also, by taking away the endless hours that you could spend commuting to and from your work place combined with the flexibility of working at home helps with the reduction of stress levels.
Employer Point of View
Your employer also benefits from home working as he can save costs by reducing the amount of office space needed, therefore reducing his overheads. He also benefits from the fact that his staff are happier and are more likely to provide greater loyalty to the business thus providing a positive image for the company.
However, these benefits may come at a cost if you are not usin
g the correct equipment to meet the requirements of the job. For instance, you wouldn’t expect to arrive at your company head office and be expected to carry out your daily office work from a kitchen table, so why are you doing it at home.
For those of you that are working for an employer, you have a right to ask for the correct equipment to carry out the job, and your employer will be happy to provide this as it will go some way to them fulfilling their obligations as an employer under the Health and Safety at work act which not only covers the work place but also home workers.
Home Working Tips
It’s my house – why can’t I use the kitchen table I hear you ask. Well, here are some tips for successful home working:
- Try to segregate your work area, so that your work equipment is not a risk to other members of your household and that they are not a risk to your work equipment. A separate area will also help you “shut off” from your home life so that you can deal with your work in a professional manner. Like wise you will be able to close the door and “finish work” just like leaving the office.
- Once in your office, you must ensure that health and safety rules are complied with. This includes carrying out a risk assessment of the working area and also ensuring that you have completed a workstation assessment.These risk assessments will normally be carried out by your employer either by a visit to your home or by using a guided risk assessment questionnaire that you will complete. The Health and Safety Executive has produced a guidance leaflet about Home working tips for both employers and employees which is available as a download from their website
- Choosing the right office furniture is an important part of establishing your own work space at home. Your work performance and your health can be affected by what you choose to sit in all day, and whether your work station is set up to enable you to minimise the problems associated with long hours at the computer.
Amongst other things, you will need to consider your seating and office desk arrangement. Office desks and office chairs When it comes to choosing the office furniture, use a reputable supplier who will provide furniture that can be fully adjusted to suit the user such as seat height and angle adjustability as well as desk dimensions including depth and width.
A reputable supplier will also assist you with looking at how your workstation is set up. Home office work is now almost entirely dependent on computer use and people spend more and more time in front of a computer adopting a static pose. By using fit for purpose furniture which is correctly laid out you will minimise the risks associated with lengthy computer use.
So don’t just sit at the kitchen table, allocate some space and create yourself your own home office.