Working at home or elsewhere:it's all good!

Bye bye the "metro, work, sleep" ritual! Like millions of French people, you have decided to opt for teleworking. Why is working outside the company so attractive? What are the benefits for the employer and yourself?

Teleworking, what is it exactly?

Teleworking is carrying out part of one's professional activities on a regular and voluntary basis, outside the company (home, coworking space). In France, this concerns 29% of the workforce of companies with more than ten employees, i.e. 5.2 million people:a constantly increasing number. From 2018 to 2019 alone, telework would have attracted 700,000 more followers (Malakoff Médéric-Humanis study).

Did you know?

The origin of teleworking dates back to the 1950s in the United States. In the country of Uncle Sam, 30% of working people practice teleworking, far ahead of Europe (between 10 and 20%) and France (between 8 and 15%).

What does the law say about this modern form of work?

Even if they practice telework, the business manager and teleworkers enjoy the same rights and duties as in the context of a traditional salaried activity (article L. 1222-9 of the Labor Code). The employer, in addition to its general obligations, must:

• Discuss annually with your employee to make a general assessment;
• Inform the employee about the strictly professional use of the tools made available to him to work outside the company;
• Proposing the teleworker first and foremost an equivalent vacant position within the company.

Why is teleworking attractive?

The advantages for companies

Telecommuting appeals to employers for several reasons:

• Employee Productivity Gain:A happy employee is a profitable and productive employee. Studies have shown that working from home increases productivity by around 25%;
• More late in the morning =more work time;
• Cost reduction:fewer employees in the company means less space and less furniture to use;
• Lower turnover:a company capable of offering a fulfilling work environment retains its employees.

Benefits for employees

For the remote worker, the benefits aren't bad either:

• Time Saving:No more crowded public transport, early waking up and morning stress. He starts the day in zen mode.
• Better personal pro-life life management:a sick child, the RER on strike, 15 cm of snow... What seemed like a disaster while working in a company is now forgotten!
• The freedom of the freelancer with employee rights:social security, remuneration, paid holidays, right to training, etc., all rights remain unchanged;
• Exacerbated sense of pride:the employer gives him all his confidence, the ego is boosted.

Telework:6 tips to make it work

Sign a charter

The signing of a collective agreement, or failing that, a charter, makes it possible to lay the foundations for successful teleworking missions. It includes:

• The conditions for setting up teleworking (pollution, bad weather, etc.) and returning to conventional work;
• The methods of acceptance by the teleworker of these conditions;
• The methods of control of the general operation of telework by the employer;
• The hours during which the teleworker is considered active;
• How disabled workers can access a telework organization.

Create an environment conducive to working from home

The ideal is to have a room dedicated to your professional activity, with all the equipment of the perfect teleworker:a solid office chair, light, plants for feng-shui, a powerful computer, and... a coffee maker. layout!

Increase your Internet speed

What's more infuriating than having to work on a lagging computer? To be completely effective, the best thing is to contact your Internet provider and explain that you are teleworking. It will adjust your flow to the best.

Use the right tools

Just because you work from home doesn't mean you have to lock yourself in your cave. To keep in touch with your colleagues and work efficiently, use tools like Slack (a collaborative communication platform) or Google Drive. Can't get to the office for the 10 a.m. meeting? Solutions like Skype are perfect for remote workers.

Discipline yourself…like the boss is there

Start your work at the usual time, so as not to be late. How about a little earlier? You can then accompany your child to his sports session in the afternoon. If your child does not go to school, find a place for him in the crèche. You telecommute, not home childcare. Finally, even if the motivation is not always there, avoid sitting in front of Netflix. Knowing what happened in the new season of your favorite series will not lower the pile of files to be processed.

Respect office hours

Conversely, it is not because you are not physically in business that you have to work non-stop. So, at noon, enjoy eating with the children, and take breaks every 2-3 hours, as you would at the office. The idea is to work better, not more.

So, do you want to work from home? Logical, with all the advantages that this new way of working offers. But beware, this system is based on a principle of trust with your employer. Take the opportunity to prove to him that you are his best collaborator.