More and more businesses might be keen to get workers back into the office these days, following in the footsteps of tech giants Meta and Google. However, it is still important to be set up for remote working, particularly over Christmas.
Google may now want employees to come into the office at least three days a week and have started to include attendance as part of its review process, but when it comes to the festive season, it is bound to be letting workers log in from home at some point.
Here are just a few reasons why remote working is important for businesses over Christmas.
Workers can visit family
Not everyone lives with or near their family, and as Christmas is a time when relatives want to get together, some members of staff may have to travel to be with their parents or siblings for the holidays.
If they did not want to take Christmas Eve off work and were made to be in the office, they would miss out on spending December 25th with their family and might end up being alone.
Alternatively, they may try to make a dash for trains that evening, which means they might have to finish early or spend the day in an anxious state about not wanting to miss their only chance for a family-centred Christmas.
By allowing workers to work remotely, they could travel in a more leisurely manner prior to Christmas Eve and do a full day of productive work, instead of spending it stressed and potentially having to leave early.
VOIP services means they can still join in meetings, while the cloud gives them access to all their documents, so they will have everything they need.
Work during ‘Crimbo Limbo’
Another reason why it is sensible to allow remote working over Christmas is it will allow more people to log on during ‘Crimbo Limbo’.
While many people might still be visiting family in the period between Christmas and New Year, they may also find themselves short of things to do. So, being able to work will enable them to be productive for the company while they are still away.
If firms stop allowing remote working solutions, there are likely to be much fewer employees working during this period, which could impact business.
Christmas events
Although you want to make sure staff are putting in all their hours, allowing them to stay at home means they can be more flexible with their workload so they can attend the multitude of nativities, carol concerts, and school fairs their children are involved in.
Flexible working arrangements over Christmas means they do not have to miss out on important events in their kids’ lives by avoiding the commute and being able to work later in the evening to make up for the time lost.
Boosts morale
Christmas is a time to reward and celebrate workers, but making everyone come into the office during the festive period does not feel very rewarding or celebratory.
It could mean they end up spending Christmas Day alone or have to cut their family visit short to get back to work, which could have a big impact on office morale.
If employees feel they are not being treated well or there is a negative atmosphere in the workplace, there is more chance they will be looking for a different job in the new year.
So hang up the decorations, play the festive tunes, and let employees work from home more over Christmas to see an increase in staff retention and a positive office environment.
