Some employers are asking employees what they would like to see the company do about these issues, the consultant said.
“Employers need to manage employees’ expectations. For instance, if a sudden client meeting comes up, is that a commuter expense or a business expense for tax purposes?” he asked.
Employees also need to consider the impact on their careers and their mental well-being, Padgett, the business consultant with Project Success, said in an email. A recent Pew Research Center study showed that 54% of people now working remotely would like to continue doing so. Padgett said employees and their employers may both come to regret that view.
“Working from home limits the interaction between employees and their managers and co-workers,” Padgett said. “That might be fine for a short time, but over the long haul it means you aren’t developing relationships or communicating in ways necessary to create a cohesive team.”
In addition, “when employees leave the office at the end of the day, they put both actual distance and emotional distance between themselves and work. With remote work, that barrier between home and work is removed, which could lead to greater instances of burnout. As a result, people are more likely to produce poor quality work or leave their current jobs in search of something they hope will be better,” Padgett said.
Working in the office leads to more communication with other employees, which means ideas are exchanged. “Those organic conversations often result in creative thinking and problem solving,” he added.
In extreme circumstances, employers may consider paying employees less if they move their home/office to a less expensive area, Padgett said.