Homeworking Part 2 – the Productivity Dilemma

By Diego Lunardi, Business Development Manager, Maximizer Software EMEA

So we’ve all heard the news that Yahoo are looking to ban homeworking, my managing director has even written his own blog on the matter. Yet, as I was listening to BBC London radio (coincidently, while driving to work), I found myself reflecting on the many views and opinions expressed by the callers, even if some of the facts and figures were spiced up by the presenters.

As I listened, a question popped into my head (as I sat in traffic) – am I being productive during my one hour commute? Followed by: do these two hours driving affect my productivity at work? If I were to work from home, would it mean working two extra hours? And so on…

Then one comment on the radio captured my attention and I posed myself a different and what I consider the critical question for my situation – do I have the right tools to be as, if not more productive when working from home?

In my case, the answer is simple: yes!

The main tool I require to do my job and deliver against my targets and key performance indicators is my Maximizer Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. Other tools that are also vital include the usual email client and MS office suite – but luckily for me, these are also integrated into my CRM. So as long as I have my laptop, or even my iPad, and an internet connection, I can function at full productivity, no matter where I am – coffee shop, customer’s office or simply at home.

Yes, it is true: when working from home temptations are always around the corner, namely the fridge, but are we exempt from distractions when in the office? Would you not make a coffee when in the office? Would you not have a chat with your colleagues about the last new cool gadget? Would you not be able to browse the internet? And the list could go on…

In fact, the more I think of the list of potential disruptions, the more it becomes clear that I am more likely to be interrupted and fall for distractions when in the office with all my colleagues around, than at home. So why am I still uneasy at the thought of working from home?

Then it hit me! While at home, how can I ‘prove’ my productivity? I raised this with a colleague and she stated she preferred to be in the office, even with the distractions, because when she worked from home (and she was thinking about her old job) she had to work twice the number of hours to ensure she could provide sufficient evidence of the fact that she had been working!

I guess from her manager’s point of view, this was a bonus, but I don’t want to have to work 15 hours from home to be able to prove to my boss that I have been working. And although I know I have the discipline to ensure I get the work done, do I need the additional pressure of proving it? Once again, I realised that my Manager can track and measure my activities, whether I am in the office or at home via our CRM, so the need to prove myself has been eradicated.

There are a number of pros and cons to consider for and against working from home. If I work from home, it can be argued that I would be more productive and in the tough economic climate, when maximizing productivity is king, surely I should work from home all the time! Yet immediately, I find myself mentally shouting NO!

Being in the office is somehow like being at school, there is always something to learn and often from the same colleagues who you would criticise for interrupting you. Interaction is essential, it facilitates new ways to do things, knowledge transfer, sharing best practices, team working, as well as enabling motivation and competition, which improves overall individual performance, the company itself and ultimately, customers will benefit from this!

At the end of all this, I have come to a very simple conclusion: home working can be highly productive and therefore beneficial, but to succeed it requires the right balance between office and home, discipline and most importantly, the right tools, such as CRM access!