The Challenges of Working from Home: When the Elephant in the Room is a Crying Baby
As NBC broke into programming to announce that President Biden was leaving the upcoming presidential race, viewers may have been surprised by what they heard. No – not the announcement itself, but rather, a screaming child in the background of Kristen Welker’s (Moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press) live phone call to weigh in on this historic breaking news. Kristen desperately tried to maintain her concentration and professional decorum as she continued her commentary, but finally had to acknowledge the child’s cries.
We may be able to cut Kristen some slack. After all, she likely didn’t expect to be called at home on a Sunday. However, background noise is fairly common among home workplaces and are among the reasons many employers are choosing to reduce or end remote work arrangements.
In addition to noise from children, barking dogs, construction, neighbors, and other common household sounds have been determined to create distractions that can significantly impact productivity, focus, and overall performance.
While most companies’ existing Remote Work policies specify that working from home is not a substitute for professional childcare, many employees have opted to ignore the added expense and inconvenience in hopes of juggling both responsibilities, simultaneously. Their employers have also failed to enforce this requirement despite their direct observations of the problem.
Loud background noises can create a less-than-ideal work environment, even for those without childcare responsibilities. Many employers believe that interruptions and distractions can hinder an employee’s ability to concentrate and complete tasks efficiently. For those who offer remote work as an option, it is crucial to foster open communication and understanding with employees regarding the realities of remote work and the potential impact of background noise and other conflicts inherent in-home workplaces.
While employers continue to offer fully-remote work, others are requiring employees to return to the office, several days a week, in hopes of optimizing employee productivity, collaboration, creativity, and teamwork that were once fostered in the workplace. They include notable companies like Starbucks, General Motors, Disney, Walmart, and Amazon to name just a few.
Remote work has become a point of differentiation for many employers and is often used as an attraction and retention tool for top talent. There may be an appropriate balance for your workplace that provides benefits of both options.
OneSource HR Solutions’ professionals can assist you with policy formulation and communication strategies for your company. Whether you are considering a full-time return to the workplace for all employees, fully-remote work, or a combination of home and office attendance, there’s a way to help employees understand the rationale and benefits associated with your desired structure. Contact OneSource HR Solutions, today.