{"id":3011,"date":"2013-05-21T04:00:59","date_gmt":"2013-05-21T08:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=3011"},"modified":"2013-05-19T23:48:51","modified_gmt":"2013-05-20T03:48:51","slug":"the-perils-of-working-from-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=3011","title":{"rendered":"The Perils of Working From Home"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"next-ave\"<\/a>Earlier in my career as a journalist, I worked in an office. For nearly two decades, I trudged in every day and never did my job from home unless I was sick.<\/p>\n

Over the past 10 years, however, I\u2019ve crafted my trade from my home office in Washington, D.C.; in reality, it\u2019s more of a floating location.<\/p>\n

So I\u2019ve lived both sides of the \u201cworking from home\u201d debate, now a hot topic due to Yahoo chief executive Marissa Mayer\u2019s recent decision to put the kibosh on telecommuting at her company.<\/p>\n

(MORE:<\/strong> The Problem With Yahoo\u2019s Work-at-Home Ban<\/a>)<\/p>\n

And although I love working from home, I\u2019d be lying if I didn\u2019t acknowledge there are perils that come with it. I\u2019ll run down the four biggest ones in a minute, along with my advice on how to make the best of them.<\/p>\n

Bad Memories of Working at the Office<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thinking back to my days \u201cgoing\u201d to work, I recall dreading the sensation of being trapped in an office, feeling as if I needed to ask permission (as I often did) to slip out for lunch beyond the \u201cbiosphere,\u201d as I dubbed one former employer\u2019s imposing news gathering facility.<\/p>\n

For me and many of my friends and colleagues who also work at home, deciding when to get our jobs done \u2014 whether it\u2019s 5 a.m. or 10 p.m. \u2014 makes us feel more in charge, more alive and more engaged.<\/p>\n

Still, based on my experience and conversations I\u2019ve had with friends who also work from home, I\u2019m here to say that telecommuting can be hazardous to your wealth and to your career. Here\u2019s why and how you can make working from home, well, work.<\/p>\n

One caveat: The cohorts I canvassed are in their 50s and 60s, so they\u2019re generally not dealing with the parenting issues that often get tangled up in the work-from-home debate.<\/p>\n

The 4 Perils of Working From Home<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. You might lose track of time. <\/strong>Oh, if only my former bosses could see me now. I vividly remember how hard it was to get myself to the office in time for a 9 a.m. mandatory staff meeting every Thursday. These days, though, I work many more hours than when I toiled in-house \u2014 and that\u2019s by choice.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not always thrilled, however, about my work-at-home workday (and night). A recent New York Times op-ed article <\/a>on the need to back away from the computer screen and smartphone really hit home. Sometimes I could use someone to pull me away from my desk. But I love what I do and it doesn\u2019t always feel like work.<\/p>\n

(MORE:<\/strong> Secrets of Claiming a Home Office Deduction<\/a>)<\/p>\n

My advice:<\/strong> I agree with Matthew Solan, whose article about the good, the bad and the bottom line of a home office<\/a> said: Create daily work hours, stick with them and at the end of the day, turn everything off, shut the door and close up shop.<\/p>\n

If you work for an employer, try to set a clear schedule and let your boss and colleagues know what it is. Otherwise, you could be inviting phone calls and emails late at night and on weekends.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re self-employed, set a limit on your daily hours \u2014 and try not to go over it.<\/p>\n

2. Your career might plateau. <\/strong>I\u2019ve turned down the chance to climb the editors\u2019 ranks because I knew it would be hard to be a manager while working from home.<\/p>\n

But I\u2019m not upset about this. That\u2019s because I\u2019ve grown to realize that my definition of career success didn\u2019t mean moving up the masthead, taking on more responsibility and being a boss. What\u2019s more, a job like that wouldn\u2019t suit my temperament.<\/p>\n

I do, however, miss the bonding, friendships and opportunities to meet new people in an office \u2014 those things rarely happen when you work from home. \u201cEven when you go in for meetings, you never quite get that,\u201d one telecommuting friend told me, somewhat longingly.<\/p>\n

My peers working from home full-time for one employer with one or more corporate offices conceded that the inability to climb the ladder has been an unspoken trade-off that came with telecommuting.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t expect to get promotions if you\u2019re not there,\u201d a 50-something female friend who has worked for a large insurer for 15 years told me. \u201cI\u2019m OK with that.\u201d<\/p>\n

By nature, bosses tend to fret about not being able to control what you do with your time and their powerlessness to keep tabs on your whereabouts. (Co-worker envy can be palpable, too, making you feel isolated and shut out.)<\/p>\n

There are, of course, some companies where everyone works from home, offering up a greater possibility of moving up the corporate ladder. But those are still pretty rare.<\/p>\n

If you work from home for a traditional employer, your salary can stagnate as a result of a plateauing career, which can have an unpleasant ripple effect on your retirement.<\/p>\n

When your income doesn\u2019t rise, it\u2019s harder to increase the amount you put into your 401(k) or a similar employer-sponsored savings plan every year. Your employer\u2019s match will be muted as a result, too.<\/p>\n

My advice: <\/strong>Make sure you put in face time with your employer or employers. Attend on-site meetings and have lunch or coffee with virtual colleagues and bosses.<\/p>\n

These in-person moments are the key to avoiding the out-of-sight, out-of-mind syndrome. They may not get you a promotion, but they could help you nail the raise you deserve. Your best argument for earning more pay, of course, is a great performance at work \u2014 wherever you do your job.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll also want to continually push yourself to save as much for retirement as you can. Don\u2019t forget: You have until April 15 to fund a 2012 Individual Retirement Account<\/a> and put in up to $6,000 if you\u2019re 50 or older; $5,000 if you\u2019re younger.<\/p>\n

3. You’re all alone.\u00a0 <\/strong>When you work remotely, there\u2019s no one to ask the follow-up question or to directly challenge your thinking. You may miss out on rich collaborations, brainstorming and the synergy you get from simply being \u201cin the room.\u201d This is Marissa Mayer\u2019s chief argument against working from home.<\/p>\n

More subtly, you can\u2019t read body language during a speakerphone conference meeting. So not seeing your colleagues may prevent you from understanding what\u2019s really going on.<\/p>\n

My advice:<\/strong> Talk with your boss and workmates whenever you can. And I do mean talk \u2014 not sending an email or text, which are less personal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI often opt for a phone call rather than an email,\u201d says a pal who\u2019s a telecommuting IBM sales executive. \u201cI know not everyone appreciates the time zap, but I preface it by saying: \u2018It\u2019s a quick question.\u2019\u201d She thinks phone calls result in more honest responses than she\u2019d get with emails.<\/p>\n

If possible, try establishing preset, scheduled phone calls that occur on a regular basis.<\/p>\n

(MORE:<\/strong> Working from Home: The Good, the Bad and the Bottom Line<\/a>)<\/p>\n

4. There’s no tech desk on speed dial. <\/strong>The truth is, if you\u2019re working at a place where most employees are in the office, those are the folks the IT team is likeliest to assist.<\/p>\n

My advice:<\/strong> Try to get on good terms with at least one person in your employer\u2019s IT department, someone who won\u2019t mind if you call with niggling questions and will be willing to jump in when you have an emergency.<\/p>\n

Make an extra effort to show your appreciation. Stop by the office and take the tech whiz to lunch from time to time. Or send a Starbuck\u2019s gift card.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re self-employed, you can probably find tech support at Apple\u2019s in-store Genius Bar (if you own a Mac) or at Best Buy. But you may need to make an appointment, putting you out of commission until the staffer can see you.<\/p>\n

You also might want to sign up for computer classes at a community college or, if you\u2019re a Mac user, at a nearby Apple store. That way, you could become your own IT pro, in some circumstances.<\/p>\n

Home, But Not Alone<\/strong><\/p>\n

One last thought about working from home: To paraphrase the poet John Donne, \u201cNo man (or woman) is an island.\u201d<\/p>\n

The best work is collaborative. As much as I love being independent, I\u2019m well aware that my work shines brightest after it has been touched by the inspiration of another \u2014 wherever that person is, home or office.<\/p>\n

\n

posted by Kerry Hannon<\/a>, March 26, 2013 More by this author<\/a><\/p>\n

\"WorkingKerry Hannon has spent more than 25 years covering personal finance for Forbes, Money, U.S. News & World Report and USA Today. Her website is kerryhannon.com<\/a>. Follow her on Twitter @kerryhannon<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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