Finding the right mix

Immer mehr Firmen vergeben Aufgaben an Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter, die von zu Hause aus arbeiten. Julian Earwaker befasst sich mit den Vorteilen und den Herausforderungen, die das Arbeiten im eigenen Heim mit sich bringt.

People who are used to office life often find that spending much of the day at home is a huge change. A report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2001 states that homeworkers need to get the right “mix” between independence and isolation. Many firms already operate mentoring programmes with regular meetings and communication to make sure that homeworkers don’t miss opportunities for promotion or special projects.

Working in a franchise can also provide structure, goals and connections to other homeworkers in the group. Sandy Lloyd paid £5,000 (about €7,500) to join the Aims franchise, which provides training as well as technical, IT and marketing support. He estimates that 80 to 90 per cent of Aims accountants work from home, but they have the chance to meet at twice-yearly conferences. Otherwise, they’re on their own. “I have missed the interaction with people,” admits Sandy Lloyd, a self-employed chartered accountant. “Working from home can actually be quite lonely.”

Loneliness doesn’t seem to be a problem for Brian Copping. The 57-year-old has worked in the UK financial services industry since 1972, most of the time from home. For the past six years he has been employed as a salaried consultant with financial services providerTowry Law. The firm provides him with a business-phone connection, desk, office chair, laptop computer and printer. But he travels regularly, visiting clients throughout south-east England. “I don’t miss the daily banter of an office, I really don’t,” he says. “I prefer to get my head down and get on with my job. If I’ve got any spare time, it’s spent with my family.”

Copping’s company base is Towry Law’s office in London, which he visits perhaps three times a month. His personal assistant, who works for four different consultants, is based in Reading, to the west of London. They communicate primarily by phone and e-mail. He admits that building relationships with colleagues can be difficult when employees rarely see each other. “I’ve worked out of the London office for a year, and I’m only now getting to know the first names of some of the other consultants and putting names to faces.”

The ILO report also says that homeworking may improve productivity through increased satisfaction and motivation. “I have the freedom to choose my own time and hours of work,” says Brian Copping. Does this increase his motivation? “Yes. Let’s put it this way: working nine to five in an office decreases my motivation!”