Using POLC Framework To Address 21st Century Issues-Offering Employees Work From Home/Flexible Work Schedules

Decision Making and Employee Who Work from Home

Decision Making and Employees Who Work from Home

Decision Making and Employees Who Work from Home

Kim Bousquet

Dynamics of Management

Bay Path University

Professor Vinny Maharaj

Decision making in today’s business world is a process that is much different than it was twenty years ago. Many companies do business on an international level which means that they are dealing with many different cultures and are trying to conduct business across different time zones. Decision making is becoming more of a collaborative effort as employers are more receptive to employees’ input taking into consideration some points of view from the people at the helm of processing the work. It is very important to have and maintain good communications with employees right up through to upper management in order to create a solid foundation for a business’s operations. The business world today is offering more flexible work from home schedules to its employees and its imperative to maintain effective communications across this spectrum in order to make sound business decisions.

The more traditional approach to decision making is an effective method if the input of a group is not required and a decision is required for something needs to be immediate. When a decision needs to be made from a team of employees one of two methods may be used, consensus or consultation. Decision making using the consensus method would pose several options to the group with the most agreed upon solution being used to make decision. The consultation method would take the opinion of the group into consideration before making a decision. “Both methods require the group’s participation and call for a manager who respects the opinions and input of the group in the decision making process”. (Francis, n.d.) Communication is a top priority when making decisions as a group of employees who have flexible work schedules. The use of online collaboration tools like Facetime or join.me can help facilitate the process of bringing the group together to work through a decision making problem.

The obvious advantage to individual decision making is that is can be a quicker process than that of a group and when working from home it streamlines tasks for the employee to get their work completed, provided of course, that the decision is not one that would affect the group. “The dream of working from home, however, can quickly become a nightmare if you aren’t prepared for such an isolated and unstructured environment”. (Loflin, 2015) Employees who are allowed to work from home should possess certain skills such as being self-disciplined, flexible, task oriented and be a critical thinker. A person who possesses these qualities is typically trustworthy and is able to make decisions independently.

Making sound business decisions requires the knowledge of understanding the long and short terms outcomes of one’s decision. It requires focusing on the particular goal at hand and being aware of the results from making certain decisions. A business should check its financial statements and look at its goals and objectives making sure that these are clear and attainable so that employees feel there is a clear and concise direction for the business. This creates a sense of stability and confidence in the employees which helps to keep them focused and better able to execute their daily responsibilities. Stay on course focusing on your customer’s needs and feedback while also keeping your expenses and finances organized.

Businesses have reduced the management hierarchy and have created teams that make collaborative efforts to carry out a business’s mission and vision statements. Employees are more committed to organizational goals and missions rather than be subject to adhering to rules and orders issued by a managerial hierarchy. “Hierarchies are being replaced by cross unit organizational groupings with fewer layers and more decentralized decision making”. (Heerwagen, 2016) This is especially helpful for those employees who work from home. Businesses who offer flexible work schedules are better able to retain talented, goal oriented individuals who can thrive in a decentralized decision making work environment.

References Francis, K. (n.d.). Group vs. Individual Decision Making for a Business. Retrieved from: www.smallbusiness.chron.com Loflin, J. (2015, October 8). 5 Skills You Need to Work from Home. Retrieved from: www.flexjobs.com Heerwagen, J. (2016, October 5). The Changing Nature of Organizations, Work, and Workplace. Retrieved from: www.wbdg.org