Remote Work
Remote work (also known as work from home [WFH] or telecommuting) is a type of flexible working arrangement that allows an employee to work from a remote location outside of corporate offices.
For employees who can complete work offsite, this arrangement can help ensure work-life balance, access to career opportunities or reduced commutation costs.
Benefits for the company include increased employee satisfaction and retention, increased productivity and cost savings on physical resources. Remote work arrangements can be temporary or permanent, part-time or full-time, occasional or frequent. Remote work requires policies governing equipment use, network security and performance expectations (Gartner, 2021).
How Remote Work Benefits Employees
Flexible lifestyle
The most obvious reason why people want to work remotely is that it offers them a more flexible lifestyle. When they aren’t required to be in an office during a set time frame, remote employees can focus on the things that matter to them outside of the office. If a remote worker is also a parent, he or she has the ability to start work earlier in the day so that he or she can be present when the children get home from school, or take time off during the day for a doctor’s appointment. Another scenario could be a remote employee who wants to attain further education in their field. Because they aren’t subject to a strict schedule in a permanent workplace, a remote employee could pursue a Master’s degree or continuing education course during the day and double down on their work in the evening, or vice versa.
Better health and wellness
Remote employees are notably less stressed and have higher morale than their in-office counterparts. In a report published by the Royal Society for Public Health in the UK, it was found that 55% of participants felt more stressed as a result of their commute. By eliminating that commute, and letting remote employees work in an environment that they’re comfortable in, employers are nurturing less stressed-out employees. Just take a look at this stat: 69% of remote workers reported lower absenteeism than non-remote employees according to a 2014 study by PGi. Workers didn’t feel the need to skip out on work without good reason because they felt engaged and focused within their role instead of stressed or pressured. Happier, healthier employees produce better work and feel more committed to their companies. From this perspective, remote work is just a good business.
Renewed passion for their job
Remote employees tend to do their best work outside of the office. They are more inspired by their surroundings and can filter out environmental distractions as they see fit. In fact, the opportunity to work remotely alone brings a new perspective to a remote worker’s position. They see it as motivation or a reward for their excellent work and are stimulated to continue to surpass their goals in order to continue living the lifestyle that they’ve come to love.
Higher productivity
One of the most touted arguments for remote work is the increased productivity that comes with its flexibility. Remote employees are more likely to put in extra effort in their jobs, going above and beyond to get their work done in comparison to in-office employees. According to the State and Work Productivity Report, 65% of full-time employees believe that working remotely would increase productivity - and their bosses agree. Two-thirds of managers who were surveyed reported an increase in overall productivity from their remote employees.
Cost savings
Remote employees are also great for a company’s bottom line. If a team is fully-distributed, companies can see decreased overhead from money saved on costs like rent and office furniture. To put that learning into perspective, Flexjobs reported that employers can save $22,000 per remote worker per year, even if their entire team is not remote.
Engaged employees
Beyond profit margins and higher-quality, more efficient work, employers offer remote work opportunities to keep their employees happy and engaged. Remote work is not just a flash in the pan for employee engagement - nearly 75% of employees surveyed in a Softchoice study said they would quit their job for one that offered remote work. That’s something that will make employers who are interested in talent retention listen in a little closer. Here’s another: in a survey by TINYpulse, remote employees reported that they were happier than non-remote employees and also felt more valued within their role (Headquarters, 2023).
Common misconceptions about remote work?
While remote work is becoming more and more common, it’s true that there are still some misunderstandings about this working style. Here are the ones that we hear the most often:
Remote workers have trouble communicating
It’s true that remote employees are not fixtures in in-person meetings. They aren’t ingrained in water cooler conversations or happy hour meetups, but they more than makeup for it in their desire to remain connected to the team and be successful in their work. Video calls are the simplest way to hold meetings as a remote employee because it acts as a reminder that both parties are human and allow team members to build virtual relationships. Because remote employees tend to be self-starters by nature, they also tend to put in extra effort to over-communicate on project statuses, and any obstacles they may be facing and extend congratulations to other team members
Remote workers are “always-on”
This is a fear of remote employees and their employers alike. Employees value working remotely because it gives them the freedom to make their own schedule - not because it allows their schedule to be 24/7. Employers don’t want remote employees to work nonstop either, for fear that they’ll burn out and lose their passion for their position. It’s important in the beginning of a remote work agreement to work out which hours an employee should expect to be available and which times of day are more open for flexibility. Here are some great tips for working remotely that can help you set some boundaries. In addition to laying down standards for availability, remote teams should set clear expectations about communication and develop messaging channels for their members.
Remote workers don’t actually work
We’ve heard this one enough! The stereotype of remote workers is that they sit in bed all day in their pyjamas, working once in a while, but not at the same level as those who commute to the office each day. We know that this is simply not true. In all of the time that we have spent with remote workers, we’ve seen a variety of styles: those who wake up early in the morning for a hike, shower off, and hunker down for a day of focused creation; and those who get ready for the day as if they were going to an office setting, polished outfit and all. What we do know is this: remote workers get sh*t done (Remote Year, 2022).
Remote work statistics in 2023
When COVID-19 upended lives and businesses, it spurred business leaders to question how work gets done. Likewise, the chaos prompted employees to reevaluate what work looks like in their lives.
Both sides concluded that embracing remote work allowed them to move past limitations.
Maybe for the first time, employees really felt how not-commuting to an office every day freed them to spend more time on self-care and with loved ones. And many professionals realized how working a traditional job shortchanged their work satisfaction and even their earnings potential.
Studies suggest they weren’t willing to go back to the way things used to be:
Source: The Great Resignation, Upwork
Common challenges of working remotely for employees
Working virtually does have its drawbacks. These are some of the most common challenges employees must overcome:
- Feeling isolated or lonely: Feeling alone and not included is easy, and can lead to disengagement
- Increased miscommunication: Email and text messaging are convenient, but they may not convey thoughts clearly, and you miss subtle cues that come from body language and voice inflexion
- Difficulty focusing or staying organized: Productivity can drop if you’re not a time-management disciple and disciplined self-starter
- Working too much: Workdays can get longer because work is always just in the other room
The remote work concept boomed up and spread around the world after corona pandemic. since then almost all companies adapted it to the company's working environment. It became a company's culture. Employees also gradually learned and trained to work remotely. Even though companies benefit in the form of saving costs; Still employers lose employees' engagement, efficient work and professionalism of employees.
Welcome and adapt remote work, only if companies can control its employee and must be able to measure the work efficiency level.
Reference
Gartner_Inc (2022) Definition of remote work - gartner information technology glossary, Gartner. Available at: https://www.gartner.com/en/information-technology/glossary/remote-work (Accessed: March 21, 2023).
Headquarters, P. (2022) What is remote work, What is Remote Work. Available at: https://insights.btoes.com/what-is-remote-work (Accessed: March 21, 2023).
Remote Year (2022) What is remote work?, Remote Year. Available at: https://www.remoteyear.com/blog/what-is-remote-work (Accessed: March 21, 2023).
What is remote work? meaning and how to find remote jobs (2022). Available at: https://www.upwork.com/resources/what-is-remote-work (Accessed: March 21, 2023).
Hi, detailed message and weldone.
ReplyDeleteEven though during pandemic work from home was largely in place, it will be great to see what employee prefer to do either remote or physical.
It is a vast topic. There is many argument for both side. Some prefer work at office as they believe that they will have a relief from home environment. Moreover they will be motivated to work in office. In the other hand some wish to have remote work as they feel peace from irregular interruption from management and flexible working hours as well half formal dress code.
DeleteThis topic has tons of arguments, Based on each preferences.
Actually, I'm working in a company that allows one day of WFH per week for office staff. But, the employees take WFH day only when they have personal work to do. When I ask, they have given me some reasons like they cannot concentrate on work, needed to refer to hard copies from time to time also feel lonely when WFH. It is about the company culture we made.
ReplyDeleteWork from home is a new concept for most of us. We may never have heard the word before the pandemic. Nowadays including reputed companies adapting to it. Work from home will produce effective work from some employees and it will not help any improvement from other employees. We need to balance both sides. When there is a policy from the company; then most of the employees will try to misuse it. It is a bitter truth.
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DeleteI agree with Azeem comment discusses the concept of work from home and its challenges, including the fact that it may be effective for some employees but not for others. organisation need to balance both sides and avoid misuse of remote work policies. In an agile context, it is important to embrace change and be adaptable to new situations. The comment suggests implementing regular communication and collaboration tools and having a clear policy in place. Finally, the emphasizes the importance of trust and empowerment for remote workers to ensure productivity and morale.
DeleteOrganizations need to recognize remote working benefits as many organizations are reluctant to allow employees to work from home due to lack of confidence and monitoring. In addition, they believe that office work is the only way to get things done.
ReplyDeleteWorking at home does not mean that works are inefficient. The people in modern generation are build up with well knowledgeable. Some of them prefer to work at night. Some prefer to carry out the work alone. Anyhow the end result will be up to there ability. So companies no need to consider this as a bad practice.
DeleteRemote work or WFH is a very good concept in the current context with using new technology and innovation. The issue is how people accept the concept. It must have self-discipline, integrity and commitment to the assigned duties and responsibilities. If this concept is applied as full-time, again the social connectivity of employees will decline, and the stress level of the employee will increase. The concept should apply with the proper standard procedures with introducing working hours, breaks, tracking system with providing best connectivity & proper devises.
ReplyDeleteYes I agree with you that remote work can not be implement full time or in regular basis. But which can be adapt to the working culture as an instant relief from work load, stress and tension. Most of it will work with minimum monitor. Which will increase the productivity level and efficient work of employees.
DeleteObviously Yes. WFH is most revolutionizing concept among organization now a days. It’s help staff to reduce their unnecessary pressure and save time for their self. It will lead to work life balance and happiness of doing job, and more over they will think twice before they leave the company coz the culture they adopt is change lot of concepts vise versa in their life and Job.
ReplyDeleteEmployee in current world expecting work life balance, minimum monitor and supervision, avoid stress and pressure, Job satisfaction. These can be achieve by remote work. However their should be some tracking facility, work should be able to measure. Then companies can get an effective output from employees.
DeleteWhat are the potential risks and challenges associated with this decision, and how can we mitigate them?
ReplyDeleteWhen we discuss about the challages, we can not ignore 'isolation'. When employees addict on remote work they will lose the team spirit. There will be very less control over them. When it comes to risk. The company informations sharing on online will lead to security risk. Due to the use of unsecure network connection.
DeleteWorking from home has become a common practice for many employees, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. While there are potential benefits to remote work, such as increased flexibility and improved work-life balance, there are also challenges that HR departments need to address. According to a study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), remote work can lead to feelings of isolation and disconnection, which can negatively impact employee well-being (SHRM, 2021). Additionally, remote work may make it more difficult for managers to monitor employee performance and provide feedback, which can impact productivity and job satisfaction (SHRM, 2021). To address these challenges, HR departments may need to provide training and support to managers on how to effectively manage remote teams, including setting clear expectations, using technology to stay connected, and providing regular feedback (SHRM, 2021). HR may also need to implement policies and procedures to ensure that remote workers have access to the resources and support they need to be successful, such as technology and ergonomic equipment (SHRM, 2021). By taking a proactive approach to managing remote work, HR can help ensure that employees are able to work effectively and maintain a positive work-life balance
ReplyDeleteRemote work is widely using concept nowadays. This has both positive side as well negative side. Which will relief the stress and tension of the employee, Increase job satisfaction, Increase productivity of employee as working flexible hours. However it is difficult to monitor, measure the work, challages in direction and supervision. When a company can solve or at least if its can be manageable the above mentioned. This will be great tool in achieving company's goals.
DeleteWell structured article. Remote working or WFH is a highly spoken topic around the business world. Both organisations and employees have benefited from this WFH structure. On the other hand, there are shortcomes of this working as well. As an employee working from home for the last three years, I personally have gained a lot of benefits. It saves a lot of travel time and fuel cost. More time can be spent on studies (if any) and other personal activities. However, there are certain issues as well. Stress level, network downtime, lack of personal interaction, need to be 'always on' are certain issues under consideration.
ReplyDeleteYes I agree with your argument. that remote work also has draw backs for instant potential security issue since we transfer companies legal documents, confidential documents, income and expenses reports. Which may leak if there is unsecure network. Also break downs in network. High cost network charges and expensive devices. These things make remote work a challenging thing in a company.
DeleteTimely and valuable topic. In countries like Sri Lanka work from home concept commenced after the covid-19 pandemic. but personally, I see many benefits to it. Job satisfaction and motivation factor are at high levels for the people who are WFH. But my problem is since I'm in the Security field, even managers also failed when WFH sometimes. Do you have any good solution/proposal for that?
ReplyDeleteRemote work (or widely recognised as work from home) is a concept rapidly growing topic in this current world. Most of the employees willing to work remotely but the employers wants employee to be present to work place. Meanwhile not every job can be do remotely. Executives works can be do. But factory labours or the others who has to do the physically then will never get the opportunity to work remotely. Even this is bitter truth. We have to accept it. Some jobs can not do remotely. Which should be attend physically.
DeleteYour aggregate article well done Azeem. Remote work creates a happy and more balanced workforce
ReplyDeleteThis is because remote work eliminates commute time and fosters flexibility, which can help employees get more done in a day than they would if they had to stay and work solely in an office..
Remote workers have the advantage of not coming into contact with other people (which is especially important in the light of Covid-19) and catching unwanted germs from coughs and colds. Mental health can also improve with remote working, as there is less stress, and working in your own environment can be relaxing.
A fascinating topic to discuss.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to the challenges mentioned above, I would prefer to share two more common challenges I have experienced personally.
1. Remote workers may not have the same access to resources. Ex: IT support, Wifi issues...etc.
2. Remote workers may not have the same opportunities for social interaction with colleagues.
What is your view on the same?
I agree with your point of view. The both you mentioned are crucial consequences of remote working. Firstly 'remote work' the concept itself new to most of us. Establishment also tries it best to provide needed communication devices at the same time employees take measures to equip the devices as well put affect to learn online softwares and remote working system.
DeleteThe other issue is lack of official interactions, lack of professionalism and lack of work atmosphere. These barriers are there in remote working and it is challaging to over come these issues.
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ReplyDeleteThank you for the great article. It's interesting to read about the benefits and challenges of remote work for both employees and companies. As remote work becomes more prevalent, it's important for employers to find ways to measure the productivity and efficiency of their remote workers. One suggestion could be to establish clear performance metrics and set regular check-ins with remote employees to assess their progress and provide feedback. This can help ensure that remote work is a positive experience for both employees and employers.
ReplyDelete