Is Your Work At Home Policy Spurring Jealousy?

Is Your Work At Home Policy Spurring Jealousy?

Have you ever noticed that when you mention “work from home” to your friends, their faces light up? It’s because the idea of freedom, flexibility, and comfort is incredibly appealing. However, have you considered that envy might be lurking behind those smiles?

As humans, we naturally tend to compare ourselves to others. So, when one person gets to avoid the commute and spend the day in their pajamas, it’s understandable that others might feel a little pang of jealousy. Now, before you start to feel guilty, remember that there are ways to address this issue and ensure harmony among your team.

The first step is to acknowledge the feelings of your colleagues. Put yourself in their shoes and try to understand why they might be feeling envious. Maybe they have family commitments or live far away, making it difficult for them to work from home. By showing empathy and recognizing their perspective, you can build trust and open up a productive dialogue.

Next, it’s important to establish clear and fair guidelines for your work from home policy. Letting everyone know what is expected of them and how decisions are being made will foster a sense of transparency and prevent feelings of favoritism. For example, you could set specific criteria, like allowing remote work on certain days or for specific projects, to ensure an equitable approach.

Regular communication is also key. Keep everyone in the loop about important decisions regarding remote work and be available to address any concerns or questions. Providing opportunities for remote employees to collaborate with in-office colleagues can also help reduce jealousy and foster a sense of teamwork.

Finally, celebrate successes as a team. Recognize and reward everyone’s achievements, regardless of where they’re working. By emphasizing the value of each person’s contribution, you can create a supportive and inclusive work environment.

So, while it’s natural for people to feel a twinge of jealousy when it comes to work from home policies, it’s important to address this issue head-on. By acknowledging your colleagues’ feelings, establishing clear guidelines, fostering open communication, and celebrating successes together, you can create a harmonious work environment where everyone feels valued and included.

Do you let your employees work from home sometimes? That’s awesome. Many studies have shown that being able to work remotely is one of the best perks that employees of all ages want. But is your work from home policy making your employees feel jealous and resentful?

That’s not so great. However, according to a recent survey by Kona, that seems to be what’s happening.

Seven out of ten workers in the Kona survey said they would prefer to telecommute instead of going to the office. Among workers between the ages of 35 and 44, this number was even higher at 81 percent.

However, the majority of employees (57 percent) in offices that allow remote work say that this policy causes jealousy among those who don’t have the opportunity to work from home.

How can you ensure that working from home makes your employees more productive and not more resentful?

Your Work from Home Policy

Creating a Work At Home Policy

I want to talk to you about creating a special policy for working from home. It’s really important to include this policy in our employee handbook and make sure that everyone reads and understands it.

When we create the work at home policy, we should consider a few important things. We need to decide how many hours a day or week will be required for working from home. We also need to think about how employees will protect our company’s confidential information, and what will happen if something goes wrong. We should also talk about the equipment that will be provided and how we can make sure everyone is doing their work properly when they are at home.

Making Sure our Policy is Fair for Everyone

It’s true that not all jobs can be done from home. For example, our accounting clerks might have the ability to work from home, but our sales clerks can’t. The most important thing is that we treat all employees in the same job the same when it comes to working from home. We don’t want anyone to feel left out or treated unfairly.

If you let one accounting clerk work from home because she has children and don’t allow a childless accounting clerk to do the same, you could be at risk of a lawsuit. Plus, you’re probably causing people to gossip and feel bitter.

The only valid reason to treat employees differently in the same job is if one has a genuine need to work from home that is not discriminatory. For example, if one worker has a disability that necessitates working remotely. As you can see, this can be a tricky area, so it’s best to consult with a lawyer to review your work-from-home policy.

Be Clear in Your Communication

Clear communication is crucial for companies with employees who work remotely. When the people who work in the office feel like they can never reach the remote workers, or don’t understand why certain individuals are working from home, resentment builds up.

Let’s talk about what’s expected of you when you work from home. It’s important that we’re all on the same page, so here’s what you need to know:

Firstly, you should know when you need to be available for work. This includes the specific hours that you should be working. It’s crucial that we can reach you easily, so make sure you’re available through various communication channels like email, phone, or instant messaging.

Now, it’s crucial that you let others on the team know that you’re working. This means keeping a high profile and making sure your accomplishments are visible. So, go ahead and let everyone know what you’re working on and make sure your efforts are seen!

Monitoring Your Work

There are a few different ways we can keep track of your work. You can check in with status reports every couple of hours, or we can use time-tracking software like Toggl. Another option is using software that monitors what you’re doing on your computer. This way, we can ensure that everything is going smoothly.

Evaluating Your Performance

When you have employees working from home, it’s important to make sure they’re not taking advantage of the policy. I recommend regularly checking in on their productivity, progress, and results. How you do this may vary depending on the job and the person, but setting daily or weekly goals can be helpful.

Keep in touch with your remote employees every quarter or maybe even every month to see how things are going. Remind them that working from home is a privilege that needs to be earned, not a given right. You’ll see better outcomes this way.

Be Prepared to End the Work From Home Policy

When it comes to privileges, I want to make it clear that I have the right to say no to telecommuting at any time. I don’t want to find myself in legal trouble like Marissa Mayer or Tony Hsieh who had everyone working in the office.

Let’s Talk About Jealousy

No matter how hard I try, I know that people will get jealous. It’s just human nature.

Instead of ignoring these feelings, I think it’s important to address them openly. I need to be aware of any resentments that might be building up. If someone is feeling jealous, I should have a conversation with them. It could be that the root cause is something completely unrelated to working from home. By addressing the issue, I can create a happier workplace for everyone involved.

Jealous Photo via Shutterstock