Working from home presents both benefits and challenges for professionals. For employees, working from home provides opportunities to be more productive and gain time that would otherwise be spent commuting to and from the office. Employers who utilize remote work enjoy fewer fixed costs, more efficiency, and greater employee satisfaction. Without proper planning, professionals who work remotely may experience increased anxiety and disorganization. They may also jeopardize data privacy. However, when executed properly, working remotely can help organizations become more efficient and profitable, while at the same time improving employee morale. This course looks at how firms and companies have successfully implemented work from home programs and discusses mistakes that can be avoided through proper planning.
Learning Objectives
- Formulate a plan to implement a successful work from home program
- Understand how other organizations successfully utilize remote work
- Be familiar with research and related studies identifying challenges and benefits of working remotely
Major Topics
- Technology and workstation arrangements
- Maximizing productivity
- Establishing procedures that can be implemented throughout the organization
- Understanding the relationship between remote work and employee retention
- Effective communication strategies for staying connected with colleagues and clients
- The productivity challenges unique to working from home
- Time management
- The importance of distinguishing between the “home office” and “home”
- Data privacy concerns
- Other ethical considerations that arise when working from home
