When Ajiambo secured a position with an international organisation, her appointed workspace was within her employer’s residence.
Though this deviation from the conventional office setting didn’t particularly bother her, her main concern was ensuring a productive work environment.
However, as time passed and given that her employers were a married couple, the challenges of such an arrangement began to surface.
“Often than not, we would go for field work with my boss’s husband. He was the type who would never accept correction and when I did [correct him], he would yell at me. It was either his way or the highway. When I did it my way, he would report me to his wife who would quarrel me and not listen to my side of the story,” she recalls.
When the couple argued, Ajiambo would receive harsh treatment from whoever was more aggrieved. In addition, Ajiambo shares that since the office was in the couple’s house, she was also exposed to their undergarments.
“One day I reported to work early and went to fetch some water in the kitchen. My boss was working out in her room and she came to salute me in her undies and t-shirt. I felt so embarrassed and looked the other way.”
Unique challenges
Flora Silong, the manager of Human Resources and Administration at the Bible Society of Kenya, notes that as traditional office environments evolve and become less prevalent, one challenge HR professionals face is monitoring the work hours of employees in a home-based setup.
“Sometimes you will find that the employee is not working within the 8-5 hours that are stipulated, making it difficult to assess the productivity of an employee,” she explains.
In case of a workplace accident, “how can we ascertain that when the accident was happening, the employee was not working but attending to a personal business?” enquires Ms Silong.
Taking advantage
Conversely, due to the workspace being located in someone’s residence, employees may sometimes be assigned tasks that exceed what is detailed in their job description, often falling under the umbrella of ‘any other duty assigned.’
“For instance, you can be told to walk your boss’s child to the bus stop, maybe because you arrived before the office is set. Does this task fall under any duty assigned?”
Ms Silong warns that there are some duties that employers can ride on and end up taking advantage of an employee.
Furthermore, an employee’s productivity can be impacted if the employer decides to entertain guests and the employee is asked to make way for them.
“This will definitely affect service delivery.”
Etiquette and boundaries
Calvince Nundu, an assistant at the Human Resource and Management department at the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services, emphasises that even when working from an employer’s home, it’s crucial to uphold personal grooming standards.
“Maintain a decent appearance. Do not take advantage and wear skimpily just because you are in a home setup,” he expounds.
Additionally, it is prudent to respect boundaries. While it is likely for an employee to meet the spouse, children and other family members, Mr Nundu advises that employees should avoid overstepping the boundaries.
“Do what is only in your scope of work. Do not try helping the children with their homework or walk the dog or feed the chicken.”
Further, Mr Nundu advises adhering to the specified timings for both arriving and departing.
“If your office space is in a specific area, for instance, the dining, stick to it. Do not move around the whole house even when you arrive early or during break times,” he explains.
Salutations should always remain professional, and employees should refrain from using any informal or alternate names at all times.
“An employer should also dedicate and assign amenities such as washrooms, kitchen for the office team and they should be well maintained. Places that are restricted should also be communicated.”
Safe and comfortable
Ms Silong explains that because human operations in a work setting remain consistent, employers should take into account the perspectives of their employees during times of change.
She emphasises: “Open dialogue is crucial, with both written and verbal communication where both parties express their preferences and expectations.”
With communication being the pedestal of any fruitful engagement Ms Silong points out that if the employer and their family have plans or commitments that might impact working hours, it’s essential for him or her to provide advance notice to employees.
“While once in a while you will be needed to adjust your working hours, it is important to accommodate and respect such adjustments despite the disorganisation.”
However, Mr Nundu says that if an employee has a grievance, they should follow the appropriate line of reporting and be as transparent as possible in articulating concerns.
Credit: Source link