
Remote Working is a concept that came to reshape the world of work. The future isn’t just about not working in an office, it’s about working from anywhere in the world.
Remote working has been around for quite some time, but the Covid-19 pandemic has deepened this system. Now that we are out of the global pandemic, many people have returned to work in the office. However, some employers believe that it is easier and cheaper for their employees to work remotely.
According to a 2022 study from Owl Labs and Global Workplace Analytics, 62% of employees feel more productive when working remotely, and 52% said they’d trade a slight reduction in pay for the option to work remotely. These numbers show that employees appreciate the good balance between work and personal life.
Most certainly, remote work is likely to continue to be a significant part of employment in the following years. Here are a few factors why:
- Offers more flexibility and work-life balance to employees and these aspects are known to increase productivity and job satisfaction.
- Leads to cost savings for both parties, for employers, there would be no need to pay rent on office space, supplies, and other associated costs. This allows companies to invest in other areas. On the other side, employees can avoid commuting costs, office clothing, and eating out so often.
- Remote work allows people to work from anywhere they want, which can be particularly interesting to those who want to travel all the time.
- Organizations are not geographically bound, so they benefit from a global talent pool, bringing them access to different perspectives, attitudes, and ideas in the company. Giving them access to talents they would not get in traditional roles.
- Remote work reduces the need for commuting, resulting in lower carbon emissions and less traffic congestion. All of these aspects bring environmental benefits.
However, it is important to note that remote work has drawbacks and also it may not be suitable for all individuals or organizations:
- Less human interaction can lead to feelings of loneliness. Missing the connections between colleagues, sometimes these interactions motivated the employees to perform better. Over time, isolation can affect mental health.
- The separation between work and personal life can be complicated to manage in a single place. Employees might find it challenging to “switch off,” you may spend more time working and reduce the time for your personal life.
- By working from home, you move less and avoid physical activity. Limited movement can affect your health and well-being.
- Different distractions in remote workplaces can divert an employee’s attention. A lack of communication with a supervisor or colleagues can tempt employees with unproductive habits like taking excessive breaks and spending too much time on social media. These habits can impede people from performing well.
- The delayed response wastes time and has severe implications for projects that require a deadline.
- Another point to take into account is that not all job positions are effective when working from home, since a few of them expect face to face presence.
Remote work has become a part of the modern work culture. It’s about breaking the traditional chains and trusting the power of results. Technology is evolving, and online tools are becoming more sophisticated than ever before. Taking all the aspects into consideration, a hybrid model that combines remote and in-person work might be the best option for the future.
Sources:
https://www.cato.org/commentary/remote-work-here-stay-mostly-better
https://hiringandempowering.com/the-rise-of-remote-work-is-it-here-to-stay/
https://hbr.org/2022/03/is-remote-work-actually-better-for-the-environment
https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/disadvantages-of-remote-working
Image: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-make-remote-working-work-your-team-george-marrash/
Generative AI used – ChatGPT