10 Common Misconceptions about Working From Home and the Truth - IV

Working from Home is not a new concept. When it was introduced, and you casually stated that you were working from home - the response varied from - "You lucky DOG, you...", raised eyebrows, "WHAAAT?", "Are you pregnant?" followed by a pointed glance at your tummy. Yes, those were the days when to ask for WFH - you had to be pregnant or suffering from an illness. It was generally frowned upon. It was fodder for office gossip mills and served as an ice-breaker when you have no idea what to say to your grouchy mentor.

Some companies and some managers are quite open and do not have issues with WFH as long as the option is used but not abused. Some managers have an issue with WFH. Some companies do not believe in WFH. Irrespective of company or manager policy, the following misconceptions still exist when you say you are working from home:

• You are probably outside having fun with friends partying and not really working
• You are at home, watching TV and not really working - and its variations
• You are incommunicado because you are working from home
• You do not want to be part of the team
• You work fewer hours by logging in late and logging off early
• Your life is so easy
• You love WFH so much that you will not be able to resume working from Office -like ever
• You must be saving a helluva lot of money by cutting out commute costs and child care
• You have so much freedom
• You do not have dress smartly

Well, honestly, I wish that was the truth. Except for the third bullet, I wish WFH had so many perks. The truth, as we all know, is quite different.

While not hurrying to catch the office cab or bus, or driving in the insane traffic gives you an opportunity to sit back and put your feet up, work-wise nothing changes. You still have the same  deadlines. You are probably working fewer regular hours but longer hours to meet your deadlines. You have to fight off distractions that can drive you crazy. And no, its not a given that you are saving loads of money, if at all. Your life is NOT easy. PERIOD. And while you probably are working in some outfit that you will refuse to be caught dead in - it  does not mean you never ever have to dress smartly. And Freedom from what? If you did not have the freedom in office environment, you are not going to get the freedom at home. And seriously, do folks who work out of office reach a point where they never ever want to work from office? I guess that would be more true of work rather than the location.

While googling this topic, I found that my write-up was no pure genius on my part and lots of folks have various opinions about it. I specially liked the article which deals with the yahoo memo and the slideshow discussing the misconceptions and the truth:

http://www.marketingprofs.com/opinions/2013/23831/eight-misconceptions-about-working-from-home-illustrated-slide-show

Read it when you have the time and share your views on the new oldest trend in town :) And yes, I had my revenge - a long post :P