Working fromhome/flexible working health reasons

duchy

dori2o wrote: »

Why not so long as their query is being answered in a professional manner?

I don't actually think it lends itself to doing telephone work at home, but there is no reason why post/work management/web chat cannot be done.

Those people who use telephone interpreters have no issue with the interpreter being sat at home, and on Sat/Sun just gone anyone who was web chatting with HMRC between 6pm and midnight was doing so with an officer sat at home, who may or may not have been in their pj's.

You'd be surprised how many companies use homeworkers for work you'd associate more with call centres or telephone work. I could name utility companies, car hire companies, a massive retailer and a large media/entertainment company . My desk set up at home is exactly the same as in the call centre from a hardware viewpoint - but my environment is far nicer (as is the coffee). Not everyone has noisy kids ....and those that do schedule their hours for school times or use a childminder for office hours just as those in offices do. Meetings and training are not an issue with conference calls, and video technology .

It doesn't suit everybody- some people miss the water cooler social interaction, You need to be a self starter who likes their own company but focus is often easier without other people's stuff going on around you.

The obvious advantages are it enables people who are perfectly capable of working but struggle with a commute on health or mobility grounds to work on an equal footing. I worked with one lad for six months before he mentioned he uses a wheelchair for example.

I actually don't understand why more businesses don't do it- America is streets ahead of us in this. I've come across US homeworkers from American Airlines, Apple , Royal Caribbean Cruises and Target amongst others.

(However knowing HRMC allow homeworkers to use wireless for homeworking would positively deter me from calling them in the evenings -it's very poor security)

Bigphil1474

Where I work, we put a business case to our employer outlining how we and them would benefit from home working. Your best bet is to work it on the disability angle as a reasonable adjustment, as previously mentioned. Generally speaking, if an adjustment is reasonable - in your case it may be technologically achievable, not cost much if anything, and fit in with the employer's business needs - then it should be allowed. However, if the employer doesn't think the adjustment is reasonable - security, cost, etc. then they can refuse it. You'd then have to think about fighting it, which may be difficult. I sometimes work from home, and the main benefit for my employer is that I can start work earlier, and I get less distractions at home so get more work done, but my job wouldn't fit with working at home all the time. Might be worth seeing if there is a company policy on it, as it's always better quoting their own policy.
In relation to number of hours, can't think of anyway you could require them to give you more hours, unless they want you to.