The world of work keeps evolving at a dizzying pace. Organizations that still run business activities like slave camps are yet to realize that the ground beneath their feet has shifted and that they may become extinct in years to come if they fail to keep up with the changes taking place in the workplace. This piece is aimed at making a case for telecommuting, flexitime and nap rooms. Being an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist-cum-HRM practitioner, I will address psychological and business factors among other things.
According to Entrepreneur (www.entrepreneur.com), telecommuting is “the practice of working from home for a business and communicating through the use of a personal computer equipped with modem and communication software.” The idea of working from a remote location might not be entertained by the average employer for two main reasons: first, the likelihood of abuse by employees. Second, it is a radical departure from the norm. Starting with the second reason, it is important to bear in mind that progressive organizations keep an open mind and embrace ideas that will promote organizational health and growth regardless of whether they depart from the norm. Besides, what you call a norm was once an idea that was alien. Going back to the first reason. I agree that the tendency for abuse exists especially if the employees in question are not honest and responsible. To address this, organizations must endeavour to be inflexible and strict with individual performances. Key performance indicators must be clear and highly emphasized. Rewards (recognition, salary increase, promotion et cetera) should be inextricably linked to performance. Do not forget to provide work tools, gadgets, strong internet access et cetera needed for optimal performance. There are benefits of telecommuting. From the business angle, it is obvious that it helps organizations save operational costs tied to people working in offices on a daily basis. You know how much you spend on diesel, electricity bills et cetera. What about transportation? From a psychological angle, telecommuting promotes work-life balance. From my regular discussions with my friend Nkem Offonabo, a work-life balance coach, it is crystal clear that work-life balance is not simply aimed at helping employees create time for other things that matter to them, it also helps them to be productive at work. I think in a state like Lagos, the need for telecommuting cannot be overemphasized. Nonetheless, I will be remiss if I fail to add that the effectiveness of telecommuting also depends on an organization’s business model as well as the sophistication of her customers which influences the mode of engagement.
I will touch on flexitime briefly. According to Business Dictionary, flexitime is a “non-traditional work scheduling practice which allows full-time employees to choose their individual starting and quitting times within certain limits (such as ‘not earlier than 5 a.m.’ and ‘not later than 9 p.m.’)”. While I was an HR Executive of an IT service firm, I facilitated discussions around flexible resumption hours to enable employees decide individually their resumption and closing time. Employees need not close by 5pm every day neither do they have to resume at the exact resumption hour. They can alter their work schedules on a daily or weekly basis to accommodate non-work commitments. What is most important is that they put in the agreed hours and good quality of work. Flexitime also promotes work-life balance.
Nap rooms. Encouraging naps is an acknowledgement that mental and physical exhaustion occur and they affect productivity negatively. Also, I strongly think it will help to discourage the culture of deception in organizations where employees go to toilets to nap under the pretext of relieving themselves or stare at their laptops with their faces cast in intelligent frowns while actually doing nothing and nodding intermittently with sleepy eyes when no one’s watching. As reported on Sleep.org, “a nap during the day can lower stress levels, improve your mood and increase alertness…” It was also reported that big companies like Google, Huffington Post, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) et cetera have embraced the idea of daytime napping. I also learnt that some forward-thinking firms in Nigeria have embraced the idea of staff having forty winks (i.e. nap) during the day. Seriously, organizations need not wait for employees to collapse while working owing to exhaustion (mental and/or physical) before giving this serious thought. For instance in Lagos State, some people spend a total of six (6) to eight (8) hours daily in traffic commuting to work. These are productive hours spent in the thick of noisy traffic. Having nap rooms in organizations promote wellness. I know some will be quick to point to their annual or biannual wellness programmes. The idea of making wellness a once or twice in a year affair, in my opinion, is not progressive and practical. Wellness is a daily affair and since people (staff and management) spend the better part of their waking moments at offices, there should be facilities in the workplace that enhance and promote wellness. Other than nap rooms, companies could also have fitness gyms and even games to help staff unwind when they feel exhausted. It is crucial to mention that nap rooms should not be used for the wrong purposes. It should be strictly for rest and not a place for chit-chat et cetera. This should be non-negotiable. Organizations could decide to give employees the leeway to blend lunch half-hour and nap half-hour if they so desire.
As regards this topic, I recall vividly my discussions with Chekwube Uchea (who was once head of the Human Resource department at DealDey) on the feasibility of these ideas in the workplace…they depend largely on the exposure and willingness of management and HR departments of organizations. The workplace need not be perpetually tense like a slave camp, it can be relaxed. The workplace can be a second home – this is where progressive organizations are headed. Work can be fun.
Jude Adigwe
Adigwe is a certified Human Resource Management (HRM) professional and an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist. He offers consultancy services on OB and HRM issues. More details can be found on his website: www.adigwejude.com
