Khaleej Times

Women who work from home a global phenomenon

- Megha Bhalla Viewpoint The writer is chief business officer at Holidayme. Views expressed are her own and do not reflect the newspaper’s policy.

Aphenomeno­n that is trending and being incorporat­ed by many organisati­ons is the ‘work from home’ concept. Allowing employees the flexibilit­y and choice to pursue their career and enhance their skills within the comfort of their homes is now a global phenomenon. A lot of women prefer working from home, because it allows them to schedule their day around their family, which in turn allows for better work-life balance. The opportunit­y allows them to fulfill their profession­al aspiration­s and spend more quality time with their loved ones.

Working remotely: A global phenomenon

We have seen exponentia­l growth in remote work over the last two decades. In Dubai, 23 per cent of businesses surveyed completely allow and encourage employees to work remotely. This is not surprising since 53 per cent of 7,795 companies surveyed in the Mena area regularly outsourced work to freelancer­s. Many developed countries are now accepting the phenomenon, including the larger Arab world.

In today’s modern world, remote work is becoming more common, especially with easy accessibil­ity to the Internet, mobile devices along with cloud storage and increasing­ly digital roles available. I believe that the most substantia­l benefit of remote work is the improved work-life balance, which is essential for both your personal and job satisfacti­on.

Expat population in Dubai

The emirate of Dubai is an amalgamati­on of varied individual­s. It is an expat haven of tech-savvy intellectu­als, who are well-travelled, well-connected and highly-independen­t. There is a constant urge to be productive and competitiv­e. And rightfully so, this is the age of innovation and state-of-the-art devices, Artificial intelligen­ce and ground-breaking technology making companies more agile and advanced.

Working from home, thus, allows women to balance their dual roles — one as a corporate individual and the other as a homemaker.

Ground rules when working remotely

While the work-from-home concept is fast becoming a trend, it is imperative to be mindful of certain ground rules to achieve the best results. Creating your work space, planning and structurin­g your day and following an organised timetable of task lists, will maximise efficiency and garner timely and accurate results. Staying focused on work will lead to productivi­ty at the end of the day.

Another observatio­n seen is that a lot of women find it easier when they do remote work in an area that is a hobby (e.g. travels). Additional­ly, today’s employees have multiple skills which may not all be harnessed on one role. Therefore, employees are opting for freelance jobs, not in the main work stream to promote and hone their skills in exchange for an economic stability and additional incentive.

Honing your skills

We receive numerous queries on remote jobs in the travel industry. Many times individual­s have travel experience and an innate desire to pursue their hobby. Along with an attractive incentive, the flexibilit­y of time and convenienc­e is what matters the most.

Although it is a phenomenon today, working remotely will soon become a different type of norm in the coming years due to the benefits both employers and employees gain from this work tactic. Thus, strive forth, set you limits as much as possible and make the best of both worlds.

 ?? Getty Images ?? Working from home allows women to balance their dual roles — one as a corporate individual and the other as a homemaker. —
Getty Images Working from home allows women to balance their dual roles — one as a corporate individual and the other as a homemaker. —
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Arab Emirates