The
majority of middle managers around the UK would like to work from home but feel
the idea is frowned upon by senior staff.
New
research has found that only 12 per cent of staff were encouraged to take up
home working, while 14 per cent believed their bosses were against the idea.
The
study of 300 middle managers shows that although more than 84 per cent of staff
want to work from home, only 44 per cent said it was an accepted part of their
organisation’s culture.
In
fact, more than half (51 per cent) of respondents admitted they would be more
productive working from home, and 80 per cent said they would save valuable
time, currently wasted on commuting.
The
research, carried out by home office supplier Henley, found that 52 per cent of
staff were allowed to work from home occasionally and 23 per cent worked from home
at least once a week.
Fran
Wilson, an adviser at the CIPD, said home working could be a great advantage
but only if it suited the individual and the needs of the business.
"There
are times when it’s not effective because of health and safety, knowledge
sharing or team building. It needs widespread consultation but if it meets the
needs of the individual and the business objectives, then HR should be
encouraging it," she said.
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