KEY TO REMOTE CONTROL

MORE than a third of people who work remotely feel more productive – yet many suffer from misplaced guilt for being away from the office.

Half (55 per cent) of office workers report having the ability to work remotely if they choose to, a study by LogMeIn and OnePoll reveals.

Of these, 43 per cent say it makes it easier to focus and 34 per cent say they feel more productive.

Eduardo Cocozza, vice president of software company LogMeIn, says there still is a perception, however, that people are slacking off when they are working outside of the office.

Half of workers (55 per cent) admit feeling pressured to appear “more responsive” to emails and phone calls and 22 per cent feel they must work more hours, encroaching on family or free time.

“They end up sending more emails and being more responsive on other team chat platforms than they necessarily would do while in the office, just to prove they’re working,” Cocozza says.

“Businesses need to trust their employees to do their jobs. Even allowing employees to work from home once a week can boost productivity as well as morale.”

In fact, just one or two remote days a week is preferable for employees.

The research reveals just one in 10 Aussies want a purely remote role. Some remote workers report difficulty communicating with colleagues or wrangling with technology, and one in five feel “left out”.

Half (49 per cent) of respondents say their ideal working situation is a combination of time in the office and time at home or on the go.

Hays managing director Nick Deligiannis says employers increasingly are willing to allow people to work from home, and they are more aware of productivity benefits.

Communication is the key to making it work without feelings of guilt.

“It can help to communicate to your boss at the end of each week what you’ve completed, then touch base at the start of the following week to confirm your workload,” he says.