Working from home is many office workers idea of employment heaven and if offered the chance then the lure of a working day with flexible hours and no commute would prove too good an offer to turn down.
However, while it’s often assumed that remote working is good for your work/life balance, a recent study has found that if this balance is already out of kilter, then working from home can actually exacerbate feelings of mental and physical fatigue.
Can employees be trusted to work from home?
It’s the age old question that bugs any employer who offers, or is thinking of offering, flexible working to any of their employees.
Of course, all the evidence suggests that employees who are able to work from home and fit their job around other commitments are not only happier in their work, but more productive, and even more loyal to their employers.
Working from home has never been more popular – at the last count the number of people working remotely was some 4million and rising – and while evidence suggest remote workers are happier and more productive than their office-based contemporaries, we reckon it’s all about getting the balance right.
That’s because even if individual workers are more productive when working from home, the importance of idea generation among colleagues who work and share the same space each should never be underestimated.
Are you always turned on?
OK, let’s put it another way – do you have trouble switching off from work?
Have you heard the one about the housewife who earns up to £75,000 a year working from home?
How about the one where you double your salary by working just ten hours a week -from home?!
What about the old classic where you can pick up £3,000 a week – while working at home?!
If so, then you’ve seen bona-fide online scams in action – and they usually appear between those ads for unfeasibly good-looking ‘local singles’ and some crazy ‘fat burning secret’ which is no doubt guaranteed to change your life.
All equally as improbable as one another and all ignored by the vast majority – however, for anyone struggling to make ends meet they look like a good option to get in some much needed extra cash.
And it’s always the most vulnerable who are preyed on the most…
Offering employees flexible hours and the chance to work from home can not only cut overheads by as much as £6,000-a-year, but can also improve staff morale and productivity – so it’s no wonder more and more companies are looking at reaping the benefits of telecommuting.
And it seems all sectors are getting on board the work-from-home bandwagon as a recent study from FlexJobs, a company specialising in finding remote and flexible working opportunites, has found it’s no longer just everyday office workers who are offered telecommuting opportunities.
So here are 2014’s top work from home jobs, ordered by sector – there’s certainly something for everyone…
Home workers are more productive than those who are stuck in the office from nine-to-five, according to research from the London School of Economics (LSE).
The UK is home to some 4.2 million home workers – a 30% rise on the number who were working from home at the turn of the millennium – and the reasons why it’s taken off so much over the past decade are wide and varied.
The economic downturn has played a part – some people have had no option but to go it alone after being made redundant – as have rapid advances in technology and a more relaxed attitude to remote working.
Whatever the reason, working from home is on the up – so if you’re thinking of ditching the nine-to-five, you might want to consider a career in one of these five best-paid work from home jobs…
If you were ever to fall foul of the law – to the point where you’re looking at a stretch at Her Majesty’s Pleasure – you could find yourself landed with a hefty bill to make bail, which could see you selling off some of your valued assets.
3-D printing has the potential to be one of the biggest technological breakthroughs in modern times – forget wearbale tech, that’s small-time in comparison, 3-D printing will be up there with the driverless car as far as game changers go.
But what exactly is 3-D printing? And how will it help those who work from home? Let’s take a look…