Working From Home

How’s That Working and What Will Its Future Bring?

A survey of 125 companies worldwide has shown that working from home is … working.

However, all is not smooth as there are several lessons learned for the future for employees, leaders, and organizations. Some items are technical, several are managerial, and all are instructive.

Basis

The goal of this research is to identify and discuss the key elements involved in working from home (WFH). It is extremely important for companies responding to and moving beyond the pandemic to understand what did and did not work and what lessons can be learned from this experience for the future.

Accordingly, we asked 125 companies the following questions:

1. What industry are you in?
2. What percent of employees are working from home?
3. Regarding your work from home effort:
   1. What worked well?
   2. What did not work well?
   3. What lessons did you learn?
   4. What improvements will you make?

The companies were surveyed during May 2020. Organizations were more than willing to discuss their WFH experiences. We thank everyone who participated.

Our detailed research and database have the WFH results analyzed by industry, percent of home workers, and other parameters. Note that this is a qualitative effort, not a detailed quantitative study; nor should it be here. We asked people what worked and what did not work regarding WFH. For this article, we provide trends, summaries, and key learnings for the future.

Survey Data

We received replies from the world over, mainly concentrating in Europe and the U.S. Here is the breakdown.

Of the 125 respondents, we had replies from:

The reported percent of WFH employees ranged from 5-30% (typically manufacturing) to 90-100% (finance, services, banking).

Results

The results are based on our analyses, reporting majority or key trends. For example, the category “what did not work well” had almost 200 individual answers. However, the results kept returning to many of the same issues. After a while, more surveys did not turn up any new trends – they just confirmed the ones already found.

The individual replies congregated into the following general categories listed alphabetically:

• communications
• crisis management
• IT: tech infrastructure/tools
• leadership/management
• operations
• staff/teamwork
• work/home balance

What Worked Well?

The 125 organizations found (percent of comments) the following worked well with their WFH experiences:

• 30% IT: tech infrastructure/tools
• 30% work/home balance
• 11% crisis management and WFH preparedness
• 9% staff/teamwork
• 9% general positive comments
• 7% communication
• 4% leadership/management

WFH is dependent upon a robust and flexible IT system, and in general this worked well, as reported by many organizations. In fact, several managers found productivity went up with WFH, especially when group meeting applications (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangout, Webex) were used. The meeting app learning curve was easily scaled by all levels of employees. Access to office desktop applications and data was obviously important, and those who transitioned to a seamless home workstation were very pleased.

Many staff and managers are enjoying this “new normal.” They are finding positive team collaboration, commitment to get through this, and, interestingly, better availability of colleagues. Employees experienced improved time management, focus, and concentration. Many thoroughly enjoy not commuting and cite having a better work/life balance.

Companies that activated a pandemic response team or business continuity plans were praised. Several people complimented their organizations for having conducted practice WFH drills or having had prior WFH experience due to severe weather or other office inaccessibility reasons. Executive support and preparation were key.

Communications worked well, especially with planned/scheduled daily meetings and one-on-one conversations. Good communications reflected good leadership. CEOs of many companies conducted weekly and even daily conference calls providing updates, general business information, perspectives, reinforcement of company culture/vision, and encouragement. Many employees appreciated this and noted it provided motivation to overcome many WFH adversities.

What Did Not Work Well?

The polled organizations reported the following did not work well with WFH:

• 34% IT: tech infrastructure/tools
• 15% home/work balance
• 13% operations
• 11% human aspects/personal aspects
• 8% staff/teamwork/collaboration
• 7% communications
• 6% leadership/management
• 6% no negative comments

Intriguingly, many of the areas identified in “what worked well” are also listed here. Sometimes what worked well for one organization did not work for another, even in the same field. Possibly contributing to this is that cultures, guidance, and regulations across companies and even countries were not aligned, resulting in dissimilar strategies/outcomes.

The largest theme commented upon was again IT, with 34% of the comments. The major IT issue reported was related to connectivity/internet access problems. However, this was more prevalent in Europe (56% respondents had this issue) than the U.S. (19%) or other countries (25%). The lack of equipment for WFH was also near the top of the list, as well as risks related to shadow IT (unknown/unapproved devices), VPN, encryption, and lack of security training/practices. Many government agencies noted people could not access needed high-security files from home.

Family “interference” – keeping a work/home balance – was problematic for many. This was more prevalent when both parents worked from home, especially with children home too. Many indicated they were working longer hours and outside regular business hours, making it hard to secure balance. Some companies expected staff to work on nights and weekends, which generated bad feelings within the family. Consequently, workers had problems coping with spouses/family/children’s needs. They could not successfully organize or manage their time with constant family interruptions while working from home.

Even with home laptops and connectivity, workers still use/need paper files and physical documents. This became a major operational issue because it created the need to go to the office; otherwise the work could not be performed. Processes like collecting signatures and writing checks also created problems.

The major issue in human/personal aspects was the lack of personal/social interaction. People identified it was hard to connect/engage with clients and colleagues without meeting face-to-face. This was particularly true in the sales and marketing fields.

Communication (or the lack thereof) was an issue; the flow of information between colleagues and offices was slow and not always clear. Some managers had difficulties defining metrics to monitor/track progress. On the other hand, WFH employees did not want software which would track/supervise/manage them.

WFH employees cited various concerns regarding collaboration efforts/teamwork, but few issues came up statistically significant. Mentioned were too many meetings/calls/webinars at all hours and days, difficulty in coordinating projects, and adaptation problems.

Finally, one manager did state her worry that when going back to the office, her teams might be unable to maintain the same high productivity as when working from home.

What Lessons Did You Learn?

One-third of the comments were related to work/home balance.

• 33% work/home balance
• 26% operations
• 11% crisis management
• 11% staff/teamwork
• 8% IT: tech infrastructure/tools
• 8% communications
• 3% leadership/management

Many comments are related to personal benefits and to work/home balance. People found working from home to be more productive, flexible, adaptable, enable better focus, and more convenient. WFH improved time management in the work/life balance; many WFH employees also saved serious commuting time.

The key business continuity lesson learned is the importance of pandemic plans and exercises of worst-case scenarios. Implementing agile, adaptable, flexible WFH plans – and trusting them – is critical. Regular WFH training and annual testing should be implemented.

IT tech infrastructure includes lessons relating to having proper policies, infrastructure, tools, devices, bandwidth, and platforms to support WFH employees. Several companies will go the “laptops for everyone, no more desktop machines” route.

Constant communication is critical as people want to know what is happening. Regular/daily meetings are important, as is executive management involvement. Over-communicate, rather than under-communicate.

For many people new to working at home, the issue of sitting in one place for many hours was problematic. Several employees complained of backaches, muscle spasms, and generally being uncomfortable while working at the dining room table. One of Dr. Goldman’s MIT colleagues had to purchase a back brace to work from home. Some companies allowed their WFH staff to take their office chairs home. This was well received by those employees.

One facilities manager learned a hard lesson. “Due to the impact of COVID-19 and restructuring of offices,” they explained, “my role as a facilities professional was eliminated. In fact, the entire facilities department along with other divisions were recently eliminated. 80-85% of our business consists of sales, a group that has proven WFH is the new and best practice.”

After this great experiment, a majority consider WFH a feasible alternative and hope it will continue following return to normal, maybe on a rotative/hybrid form (alternating WFH and office days). They found WFH is cost saving for the company, but it is necessary to improve/create specific policies for WFH. Many respondents state they will now keep more people at home than they did before the crisis. Many proclaimed that WFH is the future of work.

The authors believe the most important lessons learned are

• the worst can actually happen
•  be prepared, flexible, and communicate
• We can do this!

What Improvements Will You Make?

The main categories for improvements to be made are

• 51% IT: tech infrastructure/tools
• 20% operations
• 9% staff/teamwork
• 7% communications
• 5% crisis management
• 5% home/work balance
• 3% leadership/management

The top improvement to be made is enhancing technological infrastructure – updating hardware and software as well as ensuring the proper equipment, tools, and platforms are available to WFH employees. Managers are considering how to solve “paper needs” (mentioned above), seeking ways to digitalize, scan, store, manage, and/or de-physicalize documents. Smart companies will provide the proper equipment for employees working from home, including computers, laptops, larger monitors, printers, and even office chairs and supplies. IT will improve connection speed and stability as well as security (loading/sharing/encryption); this will include – where necessary – encrypted voice and data systems.

Many indicated the need for a proper process to distribute, track, repair, and return equipment to the company. Also, is the necessity to review human resources policies (what the compensation policy is for WFH overtime or weekend work)?

Regulating work from home seems a top operational improvement, with the need for clear rules and policies. Many companies will be implementing a “work-from-home czar” or someone to make ad hoc policy decisions and communications when needed. One company wrote, “We appointed our VP of diversity and inclusion to be our ‘work-from-home czar.’ She regularly communicated directly with staff and managers working at home, as well as managers still in the office and trying to manage remote staff. She also distributed regular work-from-home tips and success articles to those employees, managers, and others who were supporting this effort. Suggestions and concerns were relayed back up the chain.”

Managers are also rethinking the organizational structure, increasing the WFH population, implementing flexible hours and locations, and split work structures (hybrid home/office work).

The key improvement for staff/teamwork/collaboration indicates the need to improve data collection and sharing with the use of templates and standard reporting to ensure no critical data/information is overlooked. A side issue to be addressed is incoming mail distribution and outgoing mail practices.

Executives, managers, and employees all want better communications, transparency, and timely dissemination of information. One person summarized: engage better online and connect face-to-face better online.

Executives, managers, and employees also want improved crisis planning, especially by adding WFH scenarios in upcoming exercises. Many companies will develop stand-alone pandemic response plans and stand-alone work-from-home plans. Several also will conduct annual WFH drills or have “WFH days” where everyone works from home.

Companies are reporting they will study the work/home balance and try to optimize that experience for all.

Organizations will better align their leadership team to deal with pandemic and WFH issues. Essentially, more leadership teamwork and coordination with a collective view will be de rigueur. This includes the need to adapt decision-making processes to events and eliminate the need of a physical presence to get work accomplished.

Summary and Conclusion

Is WFH the new normal, or is it the latest business fad that eventually becomes, say, “quality circles?” Will it last or will it get “real old, real fast?”

Clearly some areas such as construction, manufacturing, restaurants, and some retail can never fully utilize the strategy. However, many companies will implement a partial WFH strategy. As an example, a large petrochemical corporation reported that it will continue WFH for many office staff to support its on-site manufacturing operations.

IT infrastructure needs to be able to handle the load for the long-term. This may require investment in capacity, reliability, and resiliency. Issues such as WFH security and information privacy need to be addressed sooner rather than later. IT also may have to designate permanent tech staff who specialize in WFH issues including remote troubleshooting, repairs, services, and suppliers.

The impact on commercial real estate needs to be assessed. Why pay for expensive space in that gleaming steel-and-glass structure when a home office will suffice? More than one residential real estate company told us that home buyers are already looking to buy larger homes with space to convert into an office.

Our analyses show that WFH can work well and provide positive benefits to the employer and the employee. We conclude that with appropriate caveats and adjustments, WFH is here to stay. However, it will not be full-time WFH for most eligible people. Companies are investigating strategies such as partial or staggered shifts, or a minimum of one or two days required in the office. The rest can be WFH – if desired.

Humans need human contact. One-on-ones, face-to-face staff meetings, classroom training, on-the-job training, seminars, and conventions with hundreds of attendees are all part of our work and life experience. It makes us who we are. Ultimately, our need for human contact is in our DNA. No virus can change that.

lll

TALES FROM HOME

Despite the seriousness of the pandemic, there were several individual responses which merit a lighthearted look. People shared the following vignettes:

• “People really need to know and understand how to use the mute button on video calls. I don’t want to hear private side conversations or snide comments. I particularly do not need to know whether or not you’re wearing pants.”
• “Every day seems to be ‘Take your kid to work day!’”
• “I live in a small urban apartment and my spouse is also working from home. The only open area we have is the kitchen table, so some days it’s dueling laptops and dueling conference calls. Sometimes I go into the bathroom to do a conference call in privacy. Obviously, I turn off the camera.”
• “Too many conference calls! I understand people cannot just walk over to a colleague’s desk and ask a question. However, we do not need to have the whole office involved in simple matters.”
• “I was working at home when my large German Shepard dog comes in to see what’s going on. He was snooping under the table when he got caught in the equipment cables. He got scared and took off running. Unfortunately, he was entangled in the cables and took everything on the tabletop with him – laptop, mouse, charger, cell phone, cables, file folders, papers, and a very full cup of coffee. It took me over an hour to get things back to normal.”
• “Office casual dress codes should apply to video conferences. Just because we’re working at home does not mean we lower our professionalism. While I do not expect suits and ties, sleeveless T-shirts – for men and women – are just not appropriate. And people should not eat while on camera.”
• “In my house with two teenage boys and a work-from-home husband, it’s hard to find a private and quiet area to take conference calls. So, occasionally, I take my laptop into one son’s bedroom. However, I have to turn the camera off because his walls are covered with posters of semi-clad rock stars. The other son’s room has a huge wrap-around poster of (Chicago’s) Wrigley Field; on camera it looks like I am at the ballgame.”
• “I have small children and occasionally one will come into my home office screaming about what the other child did and demanding immediate retribution. I love my children, but I miss my office!”
• “After working at home for a few days, one morning Alexa (Amazon’s cloud-based voice service) said, ‘Don’t forget you have a conference call at 10 a.m. this morning concerning the new operating budget. Should I remind you of that at 9:45 a.m.?’ I’m thinking what the heck! Has Alexa been listening to my conversations? How much does she know? My new rule now is when the conference call goes on, Alexa goes off.”
• “My company provides professional contractors to the (U.S.) government. Some are onsite at government facilities; many work from home. Prior to the pandemic, on any given month the work-from-home staff would average about 36 billable hours per week. The other four hours were vacation, sick, or personal time off. During the pandemic, staff are reporting 40 billable hours a week!”
• “Someone should write a ‘Zoom manners’ book!”
• “I was on a video conference call. My cat jumps up onto my desk and at close range looks directly into the camera. People started screaming and laughing, ‘CatZilla!’”
• “While chatting with one of my coworkers about new policies, I mentioned I could not find fresh eggs. She laughed because in her city she can get eggs but not masks. I said I had extra masks. So, I made her an offer she couldn’t refuse – connect at a parking lot and do a swap. We met at the designated time and, just like TV show drug dealers, I said, ‘You got the goods?’ She murmured, ‘I got the eggs. You got the masks? You want to see them?’ I said, ‘No, I trust you. I am sure you don’t want word around the office you deliver bad eggs.’ … We made the exchange, smiled, and drove off with our new ill-gotten goods. No one was the wiser.”