Over the summer, I was working for a client in southeast London. I’ll be honest: the travel was a pain in the butt. We were in that ridiculously hot stretch of the summer where it was hotter in London than in most of Europe. The tube was uncomfortable and sticky, people were getting ratty, and the buses as well were thick with the smell of too many bodies in too small a space.
So when the client told me I could work at home for a few days, I jumped at it, as I think most people probably would.
And I was grateful too. I didn’t need to get up early to shave, I could sit at my own desk in tracksuit bottoms instead of a suit, and I could have decent coffee whenever I wanted to. I saved money on travel, I didn’t have to worry about where to buy lunch, and I had time to make a boring personal call about my car insurance during my lunch hour without needing to worry about finding a quiet room so as not to disturb anyone. All part of the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle of a freelance copywriter…
So it’s win-win, right? I get to be at home, I don’t need to fight through the morning-breath throng at the start of the day or the sweaty throng at the end of it. And I get paid the same for doing the same amount of work.
Or do I?
In theory, yes; in reality, no. The reality is that when I’m at home, I work harder. For me, a big reason for that is it’s a conscience thing. I’m not entirely sure where this over-the-top desire to be honest comes from, but I think it’s to do with the fact that I know I’m being trusted to work off site and I don’t want to jeopardise that privilege by taking the mickey.
If I’m on site with a client and they want to talk to me about Andy Murray for half an hour, then tell me about their holiday to Berlin, who am I to say, “Er, excuse me, aren’t I meant to be working?” They know why I’m there, they know when their deadline is, they know what they’re paying me. So if it suits them to waste precious time on small-talk, then that’s entirely their prerogative.
But put me at home at my own desk and with my own time to manage and suddenly I become a super-conscientious writing machine. Facebook stays off unless I’m on a scheduled break, as does Twitter. And although my email always remains open, I resist the urge to try and get down to inbox zero. I also keep meticulously detailed timesheets. So if something does interrupt me, I make a note of it and work later accordingly. In short, I work harder.
So, freelancers and homeworkers, what about you? Do you find yourself working harder – and later – at home than on site? By asking to work remotely, are we making a rod for our own backs?
Ashley is a copywriter, editor and blogger
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Mark Braggins September 10th, 2013, at dawn
The individual undoubtably benefits from working from home in the ways you describe. But with this comes a sense of responsibility which you refer to as conscience. Most people behave responsibly when they feel trusted, and there's lots of anecdotal evidence that home workers are at least as productive as - or more productive than - office-based workers. Sickness absence is also lower, as people work when they feel up to it, instead of taking the whole day 'as sick'.