June 2008
Extra
Survey: Employees Prefer An Office
Many workers would rather punch the clock at the office than work in their pajamas at home, according to a recent study conducted by Office Team, a staffing firm in Menlo Park, CA: 48% of respondents said their jobs would be more difficult if they were not in the office every day. More than a quarter of this group (27%) said it would be much more difficult. Team Office interviewed 492 employees over the age of 18 via the phone.
Distributors agree with the findings. “Sales is a competitive business, but there is also camaraderie,” says Gene Battelle, executive vice president of Southwest Data Corp. (asi/330763). “You still like to come in and interact and find out what other people are doing.”
Being in the office helps maintain a level of professionalism, says Christine Moran, a sales rep for American Solutions for Business (asi/120075). “You dress a certain way, you act a certain way. It would be crazy not to maintain a core office. For us to work at home, it would be a big inconvenience. We have to manage everything and we do it all together.”
Bosses who responded to the survey also said that they prefer their staff in the office. Fifty-eight percent of the 150 executives interviewed by phone for the study felt it was very or somewhat important to have all of the members of their department at the same location.
“In my experience you are less productive, and motivation becomes an issue,” says Shawn R. Shewchuk, owner of S. Shewchuk and Associates and advisor to small and mid-sized businesses. “There are more distractions when someone comes to the door, or there are pets running around. People have become accustomed to structure, and without that there is no motivation for some.”
Still, for others, getting motivated at home is not an issue. “It depends on the person,” says Moran. “There are a lot of traditional reps who have an office in their homes. It depends on personality traits, strengths and weaknesses. If you can be disciplined, and not have the kids at home, you can set aside time for work.”
Lynn Strange, a salesperson for Best Business Systems (asi/138560), says, “It would be awesome to work from home a few hours a week and not have it be frowned upon. You might put in a load of laundry, but how much time do you spend in the office talking to co-workers?”
Allowing some employees to work out of their homes also offers flexibility to employers, says Dave Willmer, executive director at Office Team. “If done right, you can upgrade your hiring, retain talent and allow for more flexibility.” Ultimately, though, it depends on the culture of the company, he says. “It doesn’t matter what size the company is, the culture matters – the responsibilities and what’s expected.”
KEN HEIN is a contributing writer based in Basking Ridge, NJ.
